Ceres and Proserpina 1980

Abraham Bloemaert drew Ceres and Proserpina in brown ink, and he wasn't afraid to let his hand move freely. The composition is all about this push and pull between dark and light, a constant dance of tones. I’m really drawn to the lines that define the figures; they're so alive. Look at how the ink bleeds slightly, especially around the contours of Ceres’s face. It's as if Bloemaert is thinking out loud, allowing the ink to have its own say in the process. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the physicality of the medium, the way that the ink sits on the surface. Bloemaert reminds me of Tiepolo, another artist who knew how to make ink sing. Both understood that drawing is not just about recording what you see but about capturing a feeling, an essence. It's not about perfection but about the messy, beautiful reality of making.