Portret van een vrouw 1866 - 1939

Bernard Willem Wierink made this portrait of a woman, probably as a print, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The marks are wiry and close together, and they really show you the process. It is like you can see him thinking, or trying to find his way. The texture of the print, the way the ink sits on the paper, it's all so physical. I like how the darks of the hair and the background frame push the face forward, and the face, while interesting, seems less descriptive and more open. Look at how he made that hair, each curl a separate scribble, like he’s building a bird’s nest. The whole piece feels like that – a kind of accumulation. It reminds me of Klimt, who also had this love for ornamental detail. But unlike Klimt, who tended towards opulence, Wierink keeps it raw, honest, and searching. It’s a conversation across time, this art thing, isn’t it?