Gezicht van een vrouw met gesloten ogen 1906 - 1945

This is Reijer Stolk’s drawing of a woman’s face with closed eyes, made with pencil on paper. It is so transparent. Look at the way the lines almost float on the surface, creating this sense of lightness and ethereality. See how the artist uses delicate strokes to define the contours of her face, the gentle curve of her nose, and the soft shadows around her closed eyes. Each mark feels tentative, searching, as if Stolk is trying to capture not just the likeness of the woman, but also her inner state, her stillness and repose. It’s like he’s drawing with air. The way he suggests the hair with just a few wisps of lines – it’s like a breath. It makes me think of other artists who play with the idea of the unfinished, like Giacometti, where the process of creation is as important as the final image. What do you think?