Het Gezicht 1683 - 1684

This is an engraving titled “Het Gezicht,” or “The Face,” created by an anonymous artist. The print invites us to consider the identities and social roles represented within 18th-century Dutch society. The image depicts a person adorned with distinctive accessories, like the nose spectacles and feathered turban, while intently reading. Here we find a complex mix of class and gender expectations. Are we looking at a depiction that challenges conventional norms, or one that reinforces societal expectations through satire? There is a sense of intimacy in the focused gaze and the way the character holds the paper. How does this individual's engagement with the text reflect their sense of self? What can it tell us about the social and intellectual life of the time? “Het Gezicht” invites you to reflect on the ways in which we interpret the faces and lives of those around us. It questions the assumptions we make based on appearances.