Baby 1938

Henk Henriët made this tender drawing called 'Baby' in 1918 using graphite and crayon. The soft, grey graphite lines delicately capture the infant's rounded features and the voluminous ruffles of their clothing. The drawing's composition is simple, focusing primarily on the figure. Henriët's technique embodies a structuralist approach by emphasizing the underlying forms and shapes that constitute the subject. The evenness of the grey tones flattens the perspective, abstracting the baby's form. Note how the artist represents an infant: soft, vulnerable, and perhaps a bit melancholic. The artist uses line and tone to explore themes of innocence and the transient nature of early life, which can be viewed as a commentary on human existence itself. The work's emotive power comes from the formal interplay between the graphic medium and the subject. The use of a muted palette evokes nostalgia and tenderness.