Portret van een man 1897 - 1912

Adriaan Boer made this portrait of a man using photography, but in some ways, it could be a painting. It’s all about tonal variation; there's no vibrant colour here, just muted shades which remind me of a grisaille painting, where artists use grey monochrome to define form. It’s an approach that really focuses you on the transitions from light to shadow. I find myself drawn to the way the light catches the man’s cheek and brow. It’s so subtle, almost imperceptible, but that’s where the character of the portrait resides. Those tiny shifts in tone build a sense of depth and volume, making the figure feel present. This piece makes me think of the work of Gerhard Richter, who also uses photographic source material, but in a very different way. Both artists are interested in the play between representation and abstraction, and the way that images can both reveal and conceal. I think that’s something that portraiture will always hold as an intriguing possibility.