Double-sided drawing: charcoal portrait of an elderly woman and pencil sketch of a man reading – 1979

Charcoal portrait of an older woman – with a pencil sketch on the back, 1979

A powerful charcoal drawing of an older woman with her hair pinned up and a high collar, with a gentle smile and deep lines in her face. The draughtsman works with bold black contours and softly blended greys, heightened with white. The sheet is double-sided: on the back is a loose pencil sketch of a man reading with glasses, signed and dated in pencil at lower right ‘… door Jaap 1979’ (‘… by Jaap 1979’, photos 4 to 6).

Why we chose this piece

A portrait with character: not a smooth likeness but a face with a life in it. Getting a second drawing thrown in makes the sheet all the more appealing.

Style and interior

Suits a studio or industrial interior, a wabi-sabi setting with natural tones, and a wall with various portraits. Lovely in a simple wooden frame with a mount.

Dimensions: 36 × 48 cm
Artist: unknown; the back is signed ‘Jaap’
Technique: charcoal, heightened with white (recto); pencil (verso)
Period: 1979 (dated on the back)
Origin: the Netherlands
Condition: Good. The paper is lightly toned with a few small spots and lightly worn edges (photo 1). Charcoal is prone to smudging; framing behind glass is recommended.

Price:
€ 65

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