Reproductie van een getekend portret van Gerard David, vermoedelijk een zelfportret before 1863

This is a reproduction of a drawn portrait of Gerard David, possibly a self-portrait, of unknown date, by an anonymous artist. At first glance, the image appears soft; the dimensions are small. The lines are delicate, almost faded, giving the portrait an ethereal quality, as if it is emerging from the paper. The sketch's composition focuses solely on David's face and upper body, set against a blank background. The artist uses subtle shading to define David's features. There is a formal construction of the face. The features—eyes, nose, and mouth—are not merely representational but structural elements. It is a study in form, in how shadow and light can create depth and volume on a flat surface. The softness destabilizes the portrait's solidity, making it not just a depiction of a person, but a meditation on the nature of representation itself. The lack of definitive lines, the blending of shades, all suggest an ongoing process, an image in flux. It invites us to consider the self-portrait not as a fixed identity, but as a fluid, ever-evolving concept.