Portret van een speculant 1889 - 1944

This is Herman Moerkerk’s "Portret van een speculant," made with graphite on paper. The image comes together through a network of fine lines, like a carefully woven web. The artist coaxes a solid form out of a fragile architecture. Look at how the graphite creates texture. It's almost as if you could run your fingers across the paper and feel the stubble of the man’s mustache, the wool of his suit. The hatching brings out light and shadow with the barest of means, and the blankness of the paper gives the speculator space to breathe. I’m struck by the economy of the marks. There are no flourishes, only purposeful lines, and the drawing conveys so much with a concentrated gaze and a tightly clasped hand. This reminds me of the work of Kees van Dongen, with its frank but insightful observation of human types. It's the kind of drawing that reminds us that art isn’t about answers, but about asking the right questions, and sometimes, just sometimes, capturing a fleeting glimpse of the truth.