Zittende man 1840 - 1880

This is Johannes Tavenraat’s drawing ‘Sitting Man’ held at the Rijksmuseum. Made with pen in brown ink, it depicts a man seated with two dogs against the backdrop of a rural setting. Tavenraat, active in the early to mid-19th century, lived in a period defined by shifting social structures, emerging industrialization, and evolving class dynamics. This drawing offers a glimpse into the artist’s social milieu. Notice the man's relaxed posture and attire, he is smoking a pipe, accompanied by his dogs. Here, class and gender intersect: the leisurely activity suggests a certain level of privilege, while the scene, absent of female figures, hints at the gendered nature of the rural space. This artwork can be perceived as a window into a world where social identities are performed and reinforced. It invites us to contemplate the multifaceted layers of identity and experience within its deceptively simple composition.