Koppen Possibly 1872

Editor: This is "Koppen," a drawing in ink on paper, possibly from 1872, by Johannes Tavenraat. It's a collection of different facial profiles, and there's something almost caricatured about them. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deep dive into the symbolic weight of physiognomy. Notice how Tavenraat exaggerates certain features – the bulbous noses, the receding chins, the way the brows furrow. Each of these choices isn't just about depicting a face; it's about conveying character. Do you find certain expressions repeating? Editor: Well, there’s definitely a kind of severity in some, a real downturn to the mouth and sharpness in the nose. I guess I just assumed they were studies for something else. Curator: Precisely! They might be. Consider these features as cultural shorthand. What might these features suggest to a 19th-century viewer, versed in the pseudo-science of physiognomy, which attempted to map inner character onto outward appearance? For instance, the severe profiles you mentioned - could they represent authority, judgment, or perhaps even…villainy? Editor: So you are saying the artist is drawing on already established beliefs, even prejudices, about what certain facial features *mean*? Curator: Absolutely. These aren't just random faces; they're loaded with pre-existing cultural baggage. Look at the hat on one figure—a symbol of status but rendered almost comically. The cultural memory of face-reading persists even today, though hopefully, with greater awareness of its inherent biases. What have you found most intriguing about this drawing? Editor: I think it's interesting to realize these aren't just faces but loaded symbols communicating certain "types". Curator: Exactly! Recognizing that changes how we understand not just this drawing, but any figurative art where the artist makes choices about how to represent a face.