Vrouw van Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff, in bed 1873 - 1932

Wilhelmus Johannes Steenhoff made this drawing of his wife in bed using charcoal on paper. Look at the smudgy, almost frantic marks that build up the background and the velvety darks that frame her sleeping face. It's all about process, isn't it? There's a real intimacy here, a sense of quiet observation. The texture of the paper comes through, giving the drawing a lovely, raw feel. Notice how Steenhoff uses light and shadow to create depth, especially around her face and hands. The lines are loose and expressive, capturing a fleeting moment. The way he’s rendered her hand is really beautiful, it's so delicate and vulnerable. This drawing reminds me a little of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who captured the intimate moments of domestic life. But in the end, art's all about conversations across time, isn't it? It is this kind of ambiguity that I find so appealing.