Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten Possibly 1938

This is "Brief aan Mien Cambier van Nooten," a drawing by Dick Ket, made at an unknown date. What strikes me first is the handwritten text surrounding the two portrait sketches. It's like the drawing is embedded in a letter, or a page torn from a notebook, full of thoughts and observations. The portraits themselves are rendered with delicate, almost hesitant lines. In the face on the right, see how the artist has built up layers of hatching to define the planes of the face and create a sense of volume. It’s as if he is feeling his way through the image. Look at how the text weaves around the portraits, sometimes overlapping, sometimes carefully avoiding the drawn lines. This interplay creates a sense of intimacy. It reminds me of Cy Twombly's work, with its blend of drawing, writing, and a kind of raw emotionality. I feel that Ket is inviting us into his private world, a world of observation and reflection. It's not about capturing a perfect likeness, but about the process of seeing, thinking, and feeling.