Toni met sigaar 1977

Rein Dool made ‘Toni met sigaar’ using graphite on paper. Look closely. Notice how Dool coaxes subtle gradations of tone from the graphite. He creates soft shadows and highlights. I can almost feel the give of the paper beneath my fingers and the movement of graphite as it hits the surface. I imagine Dool, carefully building up layers, erasing and adjusting, searching for the right balance of light and dark, trying to create a sense of depth and form. The subject’s eyes are closed and his mouth seems to be gently blowing smoke into the air. The artist’s attention to detail gives the composition a stillness and an intimacy. It puts me at ease. Painters like Dool are in conversation with a rich history of mark-making and observation, and that conversation continues with each new drawing. Each one reveals the endless possibilities of the medium.