Begrafenis van het zoontje van Jacob Maris 1849 - 1917

This is Matthijs Maris’ sketch ‘Funeral of the son of Jacob Maris’, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Maris made the sketch using pen and brown ink, and it depicts a funeral procession. During the 19th century, infant mortality was high, especially among the poor. Maris came from a working-class background, so the death of a child would have been a common experience. With its delicate lines, this sketch evokes the vulnerability of life, and the communal act of mourning. The somberness of the event is palpable, yet there is dignity in the procession. Maris, like many artists of his time, was interested in capturing everyday life and the emotional states connected to it. This sketch is not just a record of a specific event, but an exploration of grief, community, and the human condition. In its quiet way, it speaks volumes about the realities of life and death in 19th century Netherlands.