Portret van een meisje 1885 - 1922

Willem Witsen painted this ‘Portret van een Meisje’ with oil on panel, but when I look at it I can only think, ‘What is girl?’. The paint here is so smooth, almost creamy, that it's like looking at a porcelain doll. Except, there’s something about that red bow, isn't there? It’s not quite blended in, it's a bit brighter, a bit more unruly. It’s like a splash of pure energy against the otherwise muted tones, and the delicacy of the face. Think about that stroke of red as a stand-in for the girl's inner life, that flash of rebellion, that secret world she's not quite showing us. It’s a reminder that portraits aren’t just about capturing appearances, but about hinting at the mysteries within. A similar approach can be seen in the work of Manet, whose portraits capture a similar sense of fleeting, interior life.