Portret van juffrouw M. van Hoogstraten 1874 - 1925

Jan Veth made this portrait of Miss M. van Hoogstraten using graphite on paper. Graphite is a relatively humble material, but it’s capable of great subtlety in the hands of a skilled artist. Here, Veth uses it to capture a delicate likeness, focusing on the soft lines of the subject's face and hair. The visible strokes of the graphite reveal the artist's process, the careful layering of lines to build up form and shadow. Though a rapid medium compared to painting, drawing still demands a dedicated labor. We can almost feel Veth’s hand moving across the paper, carefully observing and recording the details of his subject’s appearance. Ultimately, it is in the quiet, understated quality of the drawing, and the attention to detail, that we can appreciate Veth’s artistry. It reminds us that profound artistic expression can be found even in the simplest of materials.