Borstbeeld van een man opkijkend naar rechts 1749 - 1809

Joannis Jacobus Bijlaert rendered this head study in graphite around the late 18th century in the Netherlands. Likenesses like this one were typically produced as studies for history paintings or portraiture. The man in the drawing looks upward with a stern, perhaps even troubled, expression. It invites speculation: What is he looking at? What is he thinking? The artist’s choice to look up and to the right imbues the image with a sense of dynamism. Bijlaert, like many artists, was associated with an academy, the Haarlemse Tekenacademie. Art academies arose in Europe from the 16th century onwards, and their impact on the history of art can hardly be overstated. They formalized artistic training, promoted certain styles and subjects, and created exhibition venues, fundamentally shaping artistic production and taste. To further understand Bijlaert’s place in the art world, one could consult archival records from the Haarlemse Tekenacademie. The meaning of this drawing is contingent on such social and institutional contexts.