Gezicht 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk drew this face, or "Gezicht," with graphite on paper. I love the tender, searching quality of the lines, they are not quite sure, and all the more real for it. I can imagine Stolk, leaning in, squinting slightly, trying to capture something elusive about his sitter. The marks around the eyes are particularly evocative. The artist seems to be really looking and thinking about the weight of the brow and the fold of the lid. It reminds me of some of the quick, intimate portraits artists like Giacometti would dash off, trying to fix a fleeting impression. You know, the kind of drawing where you sense the artist is having a conversation with the person in front of them, a silent exchange of glances, questions, and maybe a little vulnerability. It's like Stolk is saying, "I see you, I'm trying to understand you." And that's what makes it so compelling.