Schets van een staand meisje 1865 - 1930

Jac van Looij created this sketch of a standing girl with pencil on paper, and the effect is one of understated simplicity. Notice how the delicate network of lines defines the figure, focusing on her face and the basic form of her clothing. The sketch invites us to consider what is present and absent. Van Looij employs a kind of visual shorthand, suggesting rather than depicting in detail, which encourages the viewer to participate in completing the image. The figure's gaze meets ours directly, creating a moment of connection. In the context of art theory, this work can be seen as an exploration of representation itself. Rather than aiming for a perfect likeness, Van Looij captures the essence of his subject through minimal means. It’s an open-ended proposition, a sketch, and a moment caught in time, forever open to interpretation.