Hoofden van Afrikanen c. 1916 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made this pencil sketch, called "Hoofden van Afrikanen," sometime between 1910 and 1940. The artist's hand moved lightly, capturing three faces with just a few strokes. See how the soft graphite lines seem to float on the page? I can almost feel Stolk's curiosity as he studies the different shapes and forms. Maybe he was thinking about how to convey expression with so few lines, or how to make each face feel distinct and alive. The sketch feels like a conversation between the artist and his subject, a search for connection through observation. It reminds me that art is not about perfect representation, but about seeing and feeling.