Portret van Philip Tiedeman 1708 - 1780

This is Jacob Houbraken's portrait of Philip Tiedeman, made with chalk on paper. It's a drawing, of course, but notice how Houbraken coaxes a range of visual effects from this humble material. The chalk is applied with hatching, a technique using closely spaced parallel lines, to build up tone and volume. See how the density of the lines creates darker areas, suggesting shadows and depth, particularly in the hair and around the face? The texture of the chalk on paper gives a softness to the image, contrasting with the precision of the lines. While seemingly simple, this work reflects a highly skilled tradition. Houbraken would have trained extensively to achieve such control over the medium, and the resulting image speaks to a culture of refinement and learned expertise. Chalk, a relatively inexpensive material, is here transformed into an object of lasting value, capturing the likeness of a person of evident social standing. It's a great reminder that even the humblest material can be a vehicle for great art.