Portret van Josephus Laurentius Dijckmans 1841 - 1842

Henri Van der Haert made this portrait of Josephus Laurentius Dijckmans, using graphite and paper. The artist’s hand is evident in the work, through the controlled strokes and lines which lend to the texture of the face, hair, and clothing of the sitter. Van der Haert seems to be at ease with the medium of graphite, and in control of his method. The portrait is a product of skilled labor, where the artist is in control of his tools to masterfully produce a likeness of the sitter. Pencil drawings like this occupy an interesting space between craft and art, where the immediacy of mark-making intersects with the intention to create an accurate portrait. The work highlights the importance of considering the materials, processes, and the social context in which art is made, blurring the boundaries between fine art and the wider world of making.