Karikaturaal gezicht 1923

Erich Wichmann made this caricature drawing, perhaps in 1923, using pencil or charcoal on paper. Look at how the artist uses simple strokes, smudging and a range of pressure to bring out the form. It reminds me that art-making is as much about what you leave out as what you put in. The texture here is really interesting. There's a subtle variation between the smooth paper surface and the granular marks of the graphite. Where the artist has pressed harder, the graphite shines a little. The blank paper space seems to vibrate, throwing the figure forward and back, in a dance of depth. Notice too, the almost crude mark making, that gives the piece a sense of urgency. Look closely at the eyes. They're just a smudge, but they convey so much! The way Wichmann constructs this image calls to mind the work of Austrian Expressionist Oskar Kokoschka, who also used caricature to uncover an inner psychological truth. The beauty of art is that it’s always an invitation to look closer, to question, and to see the world in a new light, or should I say, shade!