Portret van Miek Janssen 1868 - 1928

This is Jan Toorop’s pencil drawing "Portret van Miek Janssen" held at the Rijksmuseum. The portrait immediately strikes us with its delicate yet assertive lines. The subject, Miek Janssen, is rendered in profile with a concentration on the interplay of light and shadow that defines her features. The texture of the pencil strokes is palpable, creating a visual rhythm across the surface. Toorop's handling of the medium speaks to a broader artistic concern. The use of line not just to depict form but to suggest movement and emotion is prevalent here. The structural approach to portraiture engages with ideas about the self and representation. Toorop seems less interested in capturing a likeness than exploring the essence of his subject through the very act of drawing. Consider how the composition destabilizes traditional portrait conventions. The starkness of the lines challenges fixed notions of beauty, inviting us to reconsider how we perceive identity. The sketch serves not merely as a representation, but as a dynamic engagement with the possibilities of the medium.