Vrouw in een lange mantel omsloten door een raster van lijnen en driehoeken Possibly 1943

This line drawing of a woman, made by Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, features a web of triangles and a mantle surrounding her figure. Imagine the artist's hand moving, pausing, reconsidering, as the image takes shape. The linear construction gives the drawing a real sense of form. I think about the artist, maybe wrestling with line, each stroke both a decision and an invitation for the next. The sharp geometric shapes that encase the figure contrast so sharply with the soft face and hair. I'm struck by the way Mesquita uses hatching to build up the shadow and volume. It reminds me of some of the old masters, but with a decidedly modern twist. There’s something about the geometric construction that feels both protective and constricting, like a cage. I wonder if other artists have felt this too. In the end, art is a conversation, and we're all just adding our voices to the mix.