Portret van Josefine Moos-Levi, met hanger om nek en bewerkte bontkraag op haar donkere kleding Possibly 1901 - 1938

This portrait of Josefine Moos-Levi, with her pendant and fur collar, was made by an anonymous artist, probably with a camera, at an unknown date. I'm drawn to the way the light seems to gently shape her face, it's as though it's been built up in layers of shadow and light. It reminds me that art is all about process, isn't it? It's like the artist felt their way around the form, slowly revealing her. Look closely at the fur collar, how the texture almost vibrates with detail, it's like the artist wanted you to feel its softness. And then there's the way it frames her face, drawing your eye to her calm, steady gaze. The way the light falls on her face reminds me a little of some of Alice Neel's portraits, the same directness, the same unvarnished truth. In the end, a work like this reminds us that art is a conversation, an ongoing dialogue between artists across time.