Portret van Sophie van Württemberg 1877 - 1949

Here is this portrait of Sophia van Württemberg at the Rijksmuseum, created with careful strokes by an anonymous hand. Just look at the density of marks, and the subtle gradations of tone... You know, making something like this, you are right there with the person you're drawing. It’s almost a collaboration across time. I imagine the artist squinting, trying to capture her likeness, feeling that pressure to get it right. I wonder, did they feel a connection to her, maybe even a sense of responsibility? There's a sense of presence captured through the marks. The tight hatching following the form of her dress, contrasting with the looser lines that suggest her soft curls... It reminds me that every mark we make is part of a conversation with artists who came before, you know? Each portrait echoing another, each telling a story not just of the sitter but of the artist, of the time, and of the ongoing human project of seeing and being seen.