Chaim Knorringa by Henk Henriët

Chaim Knorringa 1936

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Dimensions: height 294 mm, width 247 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Henk Henriët made this drawing of Chaim Knorringa with chalk in 1936. The beauty of a drawing like this is how immediate it feels, like the artist is thinking through the charcoal itself. Henriët coaxes a likeness out of the page, not with clean lines but with scribbled marks and smudges. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the form. Look closely at the eyes. See how they stare out, almost confrontational? That intensity comes from the layered strokes of charcoal, built up slowly to create depth. Then notice the soft, smudged lines around the mouth and jaw, suggesting a vulnerability. The grain of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the drawing's humble, material reality. It’s not trying to be slick or perfect; it’s honest. This reminds me of the drawings of Käthe Kollwitz, who also used charcoal to capture the raw emotion of the human face. Both artists show us that art isn’t about perfect representation; it’s about feeling and empathy.

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