Mannenkop boven drie kragen, van voren gezien Possibly 1943

Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita made this drawing, Mannenkop boven drie kragen, van voren gezien, using ink on paper. It's all about the line, isn't it? So simple, but so expressive. The image is built up from straightforward, almost cartoonish lines, but look closer, and you will see these simple shapes create a face with real character. See how the sparse, almost childlike lines can construct a face. There's a directness, a real honesty in this work. That's the thing about drawing, about any art really, it’s like a conversation. Mesquita seems to be talking to other artists throughout history and forward to us. It's a reminder that art is a continuous process of exchange and experimentation. And that there is an openness to interpretation.