Lachende man met hoed 1819 - 1881

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum we have an interesting piece by Johannes Tavenraat titled "Lachende man met hoed" dating from 1819-1881, made using ink on paper. Editor: The lightness of touch is remarkable. There’s a delicate feel, almost like a whisper. I’m struck by how minimal it is and how economical with the ink used. It speaks volumes with so little. Curator: Indeed. The portrait hints at something universal: the smiling man. The hat, for instance, suggests a character, maybe even a profession—what sort of person would have worn such a hat? It’s a gentle reminder of class and position. What might such markers tell us? Editor: I agree, but it also points me to something mundane, almost quotidian. This work would have required cheap and abundant materials. Ink and paper were easily obtained. Perhaps, in focusing on that ordinariness, the piece reveals an important access point into that past? How common was the practice of drawing to the working classes during this period, for instance? Curator: That’s a thought-provoking interpretation. It challenges our own modern reading. Beyond his outward expression and clothes, he embodies something simple and universally comforting. The soft lines seem inviting, familiar even. Is he laughing with us, or at us, though? Editor: I tend to focus more on its value as an artifact that hints to me the ubiquity of cheap production... Curator: That speaks to our own concerns, doesn't it? Looking at the work reveals so many other aspects. Thank you. Editor: Agreed. Thinking about materials helps contextualize the production itself and invites important questions around the labor necessary.