Zittende man met hoed, ten halven lijve van achteren gezien 1773 - 1815

This sanguine drawing by Hermanus van Brussel presents a man seated, seen from behind, his arms casually draped over the chair's back. This posture, seemingly simple, resonates with a long history of conveying contemplation, weariness, or even quiet defiance. Consider its echoes—from the melancholic figures in Renaissance paintings to the Romantic wanderers gazing into vast landscapes. The turned back, a motif laden with psychological weight, invites us to ponder the unseen thoughts and emotions of the sitter. The hat adds an element of bourgeois identity, contrasting with the informality of the pose. Observe how this motif resurfaces across centuries, each time subtly altered by the prevailing cultural winds. The act of turning away becomes a potent symbol—a way to express interiority, a rejection of the viewer's gaze, or perhaps a silent commentary on the world. It evokes a sense of shared human experience, a collective memory of introspection and solitude.