Portret van kunstenaar Willem Maris c. 1883 - 1914

This is a drawing of artist Willem Maris by Floris Arntzenius. What strikes me is the weight of contemplation, made visible through the sitter's posture. Observe how Maris is seated, his body turned slightly away, his gaze directed inward, a hand resting almost lifelessly upon his lap. This pose echoes the ancient motif of melancholia. One sees it mirrored across centuries, from classical depictions of philosophers lost in thought, to Renaissance allegories of Saturn, embodying both genius and sorrow. It is in this gesture of introspection that the power lies. The artist captures not merely a likeness, but a state of mind, one that resonates with the viewer’s own moments of reflection. The image taps into our collective memory, speaking to the universal human experience of introspection, a cycle that perpetually resurfaces, evolves, and is imbued with new meaning across epochs.