Fotoreproductie van een portret van een man door Han van der Kop 1933

This is a photograph by Adriaan Bijl, of a portrait of a man by Han van der Kop. Look at the way the artist has used light and shade to create the form! It's like he's sculpting the face with light. He coaxes subtle variations of tone from the graphite, building it up in layers. The paper breathes through, too, giving it an ethereal quality. The beard is rendered with the lightest touch – each stroke like a tiny whisper. But it’s the eyes that grab you, don’t they? They feel incredibly alive. I love how the artist has captured a sense of character and depth with such simple means. The man looks kind, don't you think? It reminds me of the drawings of Käthe Kollwitz, where every line is filled with emotion. Art is always a conversation, isn't it? A back-and-forth across time and space, building on what came before, and pointing towards what's to come.