Bedelaar met stok en hoed zittend op een stoep 1904

Editor: This pen drawing from 1904 is entitled "Beggar with stick and hat sitting on a sidewalk" by H. Berthier. It's a poignant image, immediately creating a sense of melancholy. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, the beggar himself becomes a powerful symbol here. Notice the hat – an upturned void. It represents not only emptiness of wealth, but perhaps the societal voids, the empty promises to care for those in need. And the walking stick is very common symbol. It becomes an extension of his very body, signifying both his reliance and endurance. He persists, despite it all, supported by a tool which becomes intrinsic to him. Editor: So, even something as simple as a hat and stick carry deeper significance? Curator: Absolutely. His clothing, while likely threadbare, suggests a past dignity now frayed. There is a clear psychological state visible on his face; but there's a cultural memory here too. This recalls images of wandering scholars, disenfranchised clergy. These are tropes Berthier likely recognized in his social milieu. Editor: I see, so this isn't just a literal depiction of poverty. Curator: Exactly. Think of how, over time, societies have othered their poor. This man could become a mirror reflecting collective guilt, individual fear of vulnerability. The setting too, sitting against that architectural support... Is he being propped up by it? Is that a sign that someone, somewhere, supports him? It makes you think about how much architecture – here just background, provides meaning through association. Editor: It’s fascinating how many layers can be found in what seemed like a simple sketch. I learned a lot about how symbols embed an image within historical and cultural consciousness. Curator: And I think the discussion brought the pathos to the foreground. Berthier does an amazing job drawing it out in such a delicate study.