Vrouw van Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff, in bed 1873 - 1932

This drawing, by Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff, captures a woman in bed, rendered with charcoal. Just picture the artist, perhaps in a dimly lit room, rapidly sketching to capture the woman's repose. I wonder, what was Steenhoff thinking as he created this? The charcoal feels smudged and soft; the marks create a sense of intimacy and tenderness. Look at the shading around her face. The marks are smudged, almost caressing her features. The pillow, the bedclothes, are defined by these short, layered strokes. I am reminded of other portrait artists such as Paula Modersohn-Becker and Käthe Kollwitz. They also sought to capture the inner life of their subjects through expressive mark-making. There is a quiet exchange of ideas and approaches happening across generations of artists. It's beautiful, isn't it? Painting lets us share experiences and create something new together.