Portretpenning van J. van Heukelom 1909 1909 - 1910

This bronze portrait medal by Pier Pander was made in 1909, and right away, the way the light catches the surface tells us so much. You can almost feel the artist’s hands in the shaping of the metal. I’m drawn to the texture of the beard, a sort of controlled chaos of tiny marks, each one precise and deliberate. It’s amazing how the artist used light and shadow to define the form, giving it a weight and presence that feels so real. Then there’s the smooth, almost polished surface of the face, in stark contrast to the roughness of the beard. That contrast draws my eye to the details of his expression, like the slight furrow of his brow and the way his lips are pressed together. Thinking about other artists, I’m reminded of Rodin, with his focus on capturing the human form in all its messy, imperfect glory. Like Rodin, Pander seems to be interested in more than just surface appearance; he’s trying to capture something deeper, something about the character and inner life of the person he’s portraying. Art is always a conversation, isn’t it?