Jongen met hoed in de hand staat voor een leraar 1872

Willem Geets created this print of a boy with a hat in his hand standing in front of a teacher. Geets made this work during a time of immense change. The industrial revolution was in full swing, and educational reforms were starting to take place across Europe. Here, we see a solemn encounter frozen in time. The young boy, dressed in his best suit, holds his hat, a gesture of respect and perhaps anxiety. The teacher’s gaze is both knowing and critical, embodying the weight of expectation placed on young men during the late 19th century. The atmosphere feels weighty, fraught with the pressures of social mobility and the rigid structures of the time. This artwork speaks volumes about the construction of masculinity. The boy is caught between childhood and the demands of adulthood. He seems to stand at the crossroads of personal aspiration and societal expectation, which is a struggle that resonates even now. This image encapsulates the silent battles fought in classrooms, homes, and within the self as young people navigate their place in the world.