Jantje in een stoel 1785

This is Jan Brandes's drawing of Jantje in a chair, drawn in the 18th century. The child sits passively in the chair, swaddled in clothing that diminishes any hint of the body underneath. This pose, not uncommon for children, finds echoes in countless depictions of infants held by the Madonna. In those images, the Madonna’s hand often holds the infant protectively, offering him to the viewer, presenting the hope and promise the future holds. Here, however, the child's hand is limp, without gesture, adding to the sense of restraint and confinement. There is a tension between childhood innocence and the weight of societal expectation, between the freedom to be and the pressure to conform, and the feeling that the essence of childhood, unbridled and joyous, is being suppressed. Like a flame struggling to burn brighter, this image is a reminder that childhood is fleeting, and that each moment is a priceless gift.