Portret van Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden 1920 - 1926

Herman Deutmann made this portrait of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, using graphite on paper. It's all about the process, you know? The way Deutmann coaxes light from the paper with delicate marks. Looking closely, you can see how the lines build up to create the form. There's an almost tentative quality to the drawing, especially in the wisps of her hair. The texture of the paper peeks through, adding a subtle graininess to the image, like a memory fading at the edges. It is kind of amazing how it all comes together to give you a sense of the person, the queen. It reminds me a little of some of those portraits by Ingres. The line has that same, almost classical quality, but there's also a softness here that's all Deutmann's own. Anyway, it's a beautiful, intimate portrait that invites you to imagine the person behind the crown.