Kop 1906 - 1945

This drawing, "Kop" by Reijer Stolk, is made using graphite on paper. Here, Stolk uses one of the most fundamental techniques in art making: drawing, in the most direct and immediate way. The artist clearly wanted to capture the essence of the figure's head with quickly applied lines, which seem like a furious flurry of activity. Notice how the marks vary in pressure and direction, suggesting an interest in the play of light and shadow. The choice of graphite on paper gives the work its intimate quality, a study sketched in private. This contrasts with the preciousness associated with other art traditions, and speaks to the beauty found in everyday life, where materials and making processes are just as important as the final product.