Tekenaar c. 1810 - 1850

Gerrit Lamberts created this etching, “Tekenaar,” or “Draftsman,” sometime before 1850. The figure hunches over his work, the act of creation and the shadow behind him enveloping his solitary form. Consider the hand: for centuries, hands have symbolized power, benediction, and creativity, seen in ancient religious iconography and royal portraiture. Here, the hunched figure creates using his hands. Yet, it’s not a symbol of divine power, but of human endeavor. As seen in medieval art, the hand is a symbol of labor; an artisan working with his tools to craft objects of beauty or utility. The intense focus on creation, combined with the shadow, evokes the psychological weight of artistic work. Notice how the symbol is not linear. The motif appears and reappears, reflecting our collective need to interpret and reinterpret human existence.