Kinderkopje met muts 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls made this drawing, *Kinderkopje met muts*, with pencil on paper. Israëls was a Dutch painter, a leading figure of the Hague School. He portrayed the lives of fishermen and farmers, often depicting them with empathy and realism. This study of a child’s head wearing a cap gives a fascinating insight into his method. The sketch is more than just a portrait; it encapsulates the social context of the time. The clothing and the child’s downcast gaze remind us of the hardships faced by the working class in the Netherlands at this time. The Rijksmuseum, which houses this drawing, was founded to showcase national art and history, thus cementing Israëls place in the canon. To fully appreciate this work, one might explore the social and economic conditions of 19th-century Netherlands. Examining exhibition histories and critical reviews could further illuminate Israëls’ artistic choices and their reception. The meaning we ascribe to art is always contingent on its historical and institutional context.