Figuur in een lange mantel met de linkerhand op een wereldbol Possibly 1943

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this ink drawing of a figure in a long coat holding a globe sometime before 1944. What strikes me is the directness of the marks. There’s a real confidence in the line, a commitment to the image. It feels like he knew exactly where he was going. The stark black lines on the bare paper make the drawing seem immediate, like a thought captured in ink. The figure’s hand on the globe, each line meticulously placed to create form and texture, feels tender. Then, next to the figure, you see a box with hands reaching out from it! It’s dark and strange but full of energy. I’m reminded of other artists who used simple means to explore complex ideas, like Philip Guston. In the end, it’s not about the technique, but how the art makes you feel. It’s a conversation, an exchange, and maybe a little bit of magic.