Portret van Jan Frederik Willem Conrad 1896 - 1936

Theodorus Henricus Kerstel made this portrait of Jan Frederik Willem Conrad with pencil in 1916. Just look at the surface of this thing. It's like the paper is breathing, right? I bet Kerstel was really in the zone while he was making this drawing. I wonder if he felt a bit like Conrad himself while he was drawing? I mean, you know how it is, when you're working on something, you kind of become it for a while. The density of marks that create the coat feel somber and yet the texture is quite lively. Kerstel has made the map of the Netherlands behind Conrad as present as his suit. It is very present but quiet, just like the man himself. It reminds me a bit of Luc Tuymans's drawings, in a way. A kind of cool distance, you know? Like, "I see you, but I'm not going to get all emotional about it." Maybe that's just a Dutch thing. Anyway, it's a great piece. And it makes me want to go make something myself.