Portret van Johannes Jelgerhuis Rienksz. 1790 - 1829

Hendrik Willem Caspari rendered this intimate portrait on paper, using graphite and watercolor, media that lend themselves to both precision and delicacy. The artist’s material choices influence the artwork’s appearance, with graphite providing fine, controlled lines for details like facial features, and watercolor adding subtle washes of tone and shadow. The texture of the paper itself plays a part, lending a slight toothiness to the drawing. These materials aren’t especially costly, but in the hands of a skilled artist, they can produce a compelling likeness. Caspari’s technique, a blend of draughtsmanship and tonal shading, would have been acquired through academic training or apprenticeship. The social context of this work is interesting; portraiture at this time was still largely the preserve of the wealthy. But this is a small, relatively informal image. In the end, it’s this combination of the artist’s technique and the accessible materials that give this portrait its particular charm.