Portret van Wilhelmina van Pruisen 1905

This monochromatic portrait of Wilhelmina van Pruisen was made using pastels. Just imagine the artist standing there, delicately layering those chalky pigments to build up the subtle gradations of light and shadow. I can see them, carefully crafting each stroke to capture the softness of her hair and the gentle curve of her cheek. There’s a real intimacy to this work, a sense of being in the presence of the sitter. The limited colour palette – a range of grays and browns – lends the portrait a timeless quality. But it’s the expressive use of line that really grabs me. See how the artist uses short, broken strokes to define the texture of the hair, and how those soft, feathery marks create a sense of movement and volume. It reminds me of the way artists like Degas and Cassatt used pastel to create a feeling of immediacy and spontaneity in their work. There’s a certain energy that comes from working with a medium that’s so direct and tactile. It’s like the artist is channeling their emotions and thoughts directly onto the surface of the paper. This piece reminds us that artists are constantly building on each other’s ideas, creating a vibrant conversation across generations.