Tachtigste verjaardag van G.M. Kam te Nijmegen 1916 1914

This small bronze plaque, commemorating G.M. Kam's eightieth birthday, was made in 1916 by Johannes Cornelis Wienecke. Look at how the artist has built up the surface, it’s all about touch and texture. The patina has this golden, almost buttery sheen, and the crispness of the portrait is incredible. I like the way the artist has modelled the beard, see how it almost tumbles down the plaque like a waterfall of curls and how that contrasts with the smoother surfaces of the face and jacket. It's so detailed, so considered, you can almost feel the different textures. It makes you want to reach out and touch it, to feel the weight of the bronze in your hand. This reminds me a little of the work of Medardo Rosso, who also worked with surface and light to create these ephemeral, almost ghostly portraits. Both artists, in their own way, are reminding us that art is not just about capturing a likeness, but about capturing a feeling, a mood, a moment in time.