Portret van Mr. F. Sickinga 1876 - 1924

This is Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof’s quick pencil sketch "Portret van Mr. F. Sickinga" at the Rijksmuseum. The portrait strikes you with its asymmetry and the use of graphite, resulting in varied tonal values that define the subject’s facial features. The rough and hasty quality of the marks gives it a sense of immediacy. This immediacy can be understood through the lens of semiotics, where each stroke acts as a signifier, pointing to a deeper understanding of the subject’s personality. Dijsselhof’s choice to leave portions of the paper untouched isn’t merely a byproduct of an unfinished piece. Instead, it challenges traditional notions of portraiture, where likeness and meticulous detail are highly valued. The sketch prompts a reevaluation of how meaning is constructed through suggestion rather than explicit representation. By challenging these established norms, Dijsselhof invites us to consider the dynamic interplay between absence and presence, perception and reality, where the visual elements function as part of a larger discourse on representation.