Op de grond zittende man, met hoed over gezicht 1847 - 1899

Jacob Maris created this pencil drawing, "Man Sitting on the Ground, with Hat over Face," in the late 19th century. Maris was a leading figure of the Hague School, which sought to capture the somber atmosphere of the Dutch landscape and the lives of its inhabitants. This drawing offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a working-class man. His posture suggests a sense of weariness or resignation, and the hat obscuring his face hints at a desire for anonymity or perhaps a shielding from the world's harsh realities. Maris lived through a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization. The themes of alienation and the impact of modernity on the individual were emerging in art and literature. Maris’s choice to depict this anonymous figure with empathy invites us to reflect on the universal human experiences of struggle and resilience, and how these experiences are shaped by historical and social forces.