Figuurstudies, onder andere een man met een pijp c. 1930 - 1940

Editor: This is a sketchbook page by Otto Verhagen, created sometime between 1930 and 1940. It’s titled “Figuurstudies, onder andere een man met een pijp,” which translates to "Figure studies, including a man with a pipe." The page feels incredibly intimate, like a stolen glimpse into the artist’s mind. What catches your eye in this collection of figures? Curator: Ah, a visual whisper from Verhagen’s world! For me, it’s the repeated motif of the pipe smoker, that’s like a tiny story unfolding in charcoal and ink. He reappears several times in different positions. It feels so quotidian, doesn’t it? Do you get a sense of who this character is? Editor: It gives off very contemplative vibes, yeah! Almost melancholic, in a way. The one figure, relaxing, with his hands behind his head… Do you think Verhagen knew these people? Curator: That’s the beautiful question mark, isn’t it? It is like spying through his keyhole. These could be imagined figures. Or friends caught in moments of reverie or simply models posing. It could all have been part of one man’s ongoing, interior drama. Editor: True! The looseness of the lines suggests a real sense of spontaneity to me. I find myself wishing I had a peek at more of his sketchbook. Curator: That is how art often captures me! These fleeting moments often contain so much potential and insight, much like finding a faded photograph tucked away in an old book. One glimpse of somebody else's experience becomes your entire experience for a second.