Portret van Ineke Broekman 1916

Julie de Graag made this portrait in 1916, with a graphic style that feels both modern and like something from a fairytale. The soft brown ink almost makes it look like a pencil drawing, and there’s something so tender about the subject, Ineke, with her eyes closed. You can see the artist's hand in the way she's carved the lines, especially in Ineke's hair. It’s like each stroke is a little thought, carefully placed, and she's also playing with these decorative motifs. It gives you a sense of the artist's personality, her quirks, and the way she saw the world. Looking at this, I wonder what de Graag was thinking, making this image. Was she trying to capture the quietness of childhood, or was it something else? Maybe she was exploring a different way of depicting a person, reducing them to these essential lines and shapes. I think artists, especially painters and printmakers, are always talking to each other across time, and it's in these kinds of experiments that we find new ways of seeing.