Portret van Treesje Westermann, Moeder Thérèse Huf van Bethanië 1927

This is Jan Toorop’s pencil drawing of Treesje Westermann, or Moeder Thérèse Huf van Bethanië, made sometime in the late 19th, early 20th century. Isn’t it interesting how Toorop has rendered the face in such detail? Like he’s tracing a thought. You can see every little line, every tiny shift in tone. It’s almost like he’s trying to capture not just her appearance, but also her inner state. The texture is smooth, almost ghostly, because of the pencil on paper, but if you look closer, you can see the subtle variations in pressure, the way Toorop built up the forms with delicate strokes. The background is muted, letting the face emerge, but it's that second face that really intrigues me. It's like a memory, or a shadow, haunting the present moment. I can't help but think of the way Agnes Martin worked. Toorop reminds me of the way she used to create these subtle fields of color that seemed to vibrate with an inner light. Both of these artists are pointing to how art is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time.