Portrait of Jean Scherbeck 1928

Émile Friant drew this portrait of Jean Scherbeck with graphite in 1926, capturing a real likeness. Friant’s been working with the graphite in a way that feels both precise and tentative, you can see the individual hatched lines building the image up. The sharp lines of his dark hair contrast with the softer, smudgier rendering of the shadows around his eyes and the right side of his face. The texture of the paper is a real player here too. Look how the light scumbles across the page. It’s almost like Friant has allowed the paper to breathe, letting some of the surface remain untouched, especially around the arms and shoulders. This restrained approach creates a sense of depth and volume, while also keeping the overall feel light and airy. Friant shares some common ground with Ingres, another master of line and form, who also found a way to make drawing feel utterly modern and fresh.