Ontwerp voor illustratie toneelgroep: twee staande figuren en een zittende figuur 1739 - 1782

Paulus Constantijn la Fargue made this pen and gray ink drawing to illustrate a theater performance. Born in the Hague, La Fargue lived during the Enlightenment, a time when theater became increasingly popular as a form of social commentary. The figures, with their elaborate costumes and poised stances, evoke the artificiality of the stage. Theater allowed for a performative exploration of identity and societal roles. The characters on stage often grappled with questions of morality, class, and personal freedom, mirroring the social and political debates of the time. The artist uses the figures’ costumes, expressions and postures to explore complex human relationships. Theater was a space where societal norms could be questioned and alternative narratives could be explored. With this drawing La Fargue illustrates not just a scene, but the spirit of an era grappling with change and self-discovery.