Portret van Coenraat Roepel 1680 - 1748

Richard van Bleeck's portrait of Coenraat Roepel is rendered in red chalk, a medium that lends itself to both precision and softness. The red chalk, in its essence, is about value and tonality. Here, the hatching strokes bring depth to Roepel's face and the voluminous wig, setting him off against the hatched background. Chalk is a relatively direct medium: you see the immediate result of the artist's hand. But there's also something interesting about the way that chalk marks are built up in layers, so the image emerges through labor. The cross-hatching gives the drawing a sense of dynamism, the wig seeming to almost bristle with energy. The relatively straightforward means of production contrasts with the social status of the sitter, reflected in his luxuriant wig. So, in considering this portrait, we have to appreciate the connection between material, labor, and the representation of status. In its own way, the drawing is a work of craft.