Joy with Tranquility after 1698

Curator: Here we have “Joy with Tranquility,” a drawing by Eduardus Jacobus, made sometime after 1698. It’s executed in chalk and ink on paper. The piece resides here at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: The figure's soft gaze immediately draws me in. There's something subtly humorous about the rendering, but also introspective, as if they are contemplating a personal secret. The almost monochromatic tone gives the portrait a timeless quality. Curator: It’s interesting to see how Jacobus employs both graphic precision and soft modeling. These lines almost give it the character of a scientific illustration—a psychological study perhaps. Do you get the feeling that Jacobus could have been trying to define emotions? Editor: Yes, absolutely! Especially given the title. Joy and tranquility are paired, and if you look at how the artist defines his subjects’ facial expression through text in the drawing’s lower quadrant, each word holds substantial cultural and psychological significance. "Serene", "lively," and even "red cheeks and lips" paint an entire story with carefully selected symbols, don’t you think? Curator: Indeed! It’s crucial to also consider the socio-political context in which Jacobus worked. Emotions and their public displays were becoming important, codified social signifiers, and I can’t help wonder how this drawing might be part of those changing norms. It does make me wonder how his intended audience interpreted his illustration of emotion and expression? Did it become a template, or was this an intellectual exploration? Editor: Perhaps a bit of both? The written components invite analytical study; the title invites meditation, a thoughtful integration of feeling. This symbiosis reflects, maybe, what people wanted from artwork at this time: pieces that function aesthetically and as devices to foster emotional insight and intelligence. Curator: Fascinating to see how even a single portrait on paper from over three centuries ago can offer such rich reflections about society, emotion and art itself! Editor: Precisely! Jacobus gives us such an evocative moment of studied joy to carry forward.