Portrait with Loose Hair

About the work

A face with lowered eyes is surrounded by long strands spreading from a central parting towards the edges of the sheet. Grey marks gather around the eyes, cheeks and beneath the chin, while a pale passage across the forehead and nose holds the centre. Broad, rubbed areas alternate with sharp individual lines that continue below the shoulders and gradually thin out.

The enclosed oval of the face contrasts with the freely moving outer contour. Detailed modelling of the eyes and lips gives way to a largely open lower section. Narrow strips of untouched paper separate the long strokes, keeping the dark mass of hair from becoming solid.