Portret van Hein Boeken c. 1891

Editor: Here we have Willem Witsen's "Portret van Hein Boeken", likely from around 1891, currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. It looks like it's created with graphite and watercolors on paper. It has this intense, almost melancholic mood about it, intensified by the very dark washes of colour. What stands out to you the most? Curator: Well, first, let's appreciate the intimacy, shall we? It feels almost like peering into a half-remembered dream. Hein Boeken seems shrouded, emerging from the depths of memory or perhaps, a murky past. The visible brushstrokes add a textural quality, lending the work a life beyond just likeness. Tell me, what do you feel when you look into his eyes, so to speak? Editor: A sense of sadness, maybe resignation? Like he knows something I don’t. Curator: Precisely! Witsen was a master of mood, capturing not just physical appearances but internal landscapes. There's a rawness here too, isn't there? It avoids the polished perfection of some formal portraits. It’s impressionistic in its approach and invites us to contemplate the inner world of the sitter. Editor: It’s definitely not a flattering portrait. Almost brutally honest, in a way. Curator: Ha! You might say Witsen's was less about flattering and more about… feeling. This portrait offers a vulnerable look. It's like glimpsing a soul laid bare, presented in stark, honest strokes. Do you agree? Editor: I think I do, yeah. Before, I was caught up in the somber tones. I realize there's actually a story here, and you're right, it makes you consider more than just what you're literally seeing. Curator: Exactly. Art is rarely *just* what meets the eye, is it?