Bovenlichaam van een man met gebalde vuist c. 1878 - 1938

This is a drawing of a man's torso with a clenched fist by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst, made in an unknown year. Look at the assertive lines which define the figure's vest, his shoulders, and that fist. I imagine the artist bearing down on the paper, digging in, trying to capture something of the figure's interior state. His hand is clenched, his body tense. I wonder what’s going through his head? Is he angry, defiant, or just trying to keep warm? Holst's drawing is a reminder that even the simplest of materials can be used to create powerful and moving works of art. The drawing embodies the human experience, a testament to the enduring power of art to connect us to one another across time and space. Holst, like many artists, puts the work in, so we can respond.