Figuren in verschillende houdingen c. 1860 - 1866

Cornelis Springer made this line drawing titled 'Figures in Various Poses', now at the Rijksmuseum. See how the figures are arranged: one reclining, the other hunched over, seemingly burdened. The prone figure may reflect the classical motif of the sleeping Ariadne, abandoned and vulnerable, echoing poses of antiquity representing despair or repose. This position is a reflection of human vulnerability. Now, consider the other figure, hunched, perhaps toiling over his counterpart, a pose that is reflective of Atlas bearing the world. This is an act which dates back to the Hellenistic period, carrying forward the idea of humanity, or a single person, carrying the burdens of the world. Think of Michelangelo's depictions of similar stances. The contrast between the burden bearer and the reclined body plays out human strength against the vulnerability that lurks deep within the psyche, a common theme from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, resurfacing here in Springer's sketch. This cyclical return of expressive poses through art offers an understanding of how we grapple with our deepest selves.