Drinkende man 1876

Piet Verhaert created this etching, “Drinkende man”, depicting a man drinking. Verhaert lived during a time when the middle class was gaining prominence and mass culture was on the rise. The man is depicted as someone of means, evidenced by his nice coat, waistcoat, and buckled shoes. He leans back and quenches his thirst. His dress suggests a specific societal position and access, yet his activity could be read in different ways. Is he simply enjoying a drink, or is there something else at play here? Does he maintain traditional notions of masculinity? Verhaert invites us to look closely at the everyday, at a society grappling with changing norms and expectations. The act of drinking can be seen as a means to relieve the increasing pressures of modern life, reflecting a society in flux, while presenting the emotional state of one man taking a much needed pause.