Head of a Girl c. 1909

Thomas Wilmer Dewing made this drawing, Head of a Girl, and it's all about subtlety, a whisper of a portrait. Dewing's mark-making is delicate, almost tentative, building up the form of the girl's face with layers of soft, powdery lines, a real process of discovery. The colour palette is limited to these soft, muted tones, which emphasizes the texture of the paper and the gentle touch of the artist's hand, and it's like Dewing's trying to capture not just her likeness, but a feeling, an atmosphere. Look closely at the way he's rendered her eye. It's not a sharp, defined line, but a hazy, luminous shape, full of depth and mystery. It's incredible. This piece reminds me of Whistler's work, the way he used a limited palette and soft focus to create these dreamy, ethereal compositions. Art is a conversation, right?