Studie van een lachende Moses ter Borch, in profiel naar links after 1627

Curator: This drawing, housed here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled "Study of a Laughing Moses ter Borch, in Profile to the Left," dating from after 1627, rendered in ink on paper. Editor: Huh. My immediate reaction is: he doesn't look so much "laughing" as... mischievous? There's definitely a twinkle there, but more impish than jovial. I bet he just stole someone's pastry. Curator: Perhaps his "laughter" manifests more as knowing amusement. Think about the patriarchal narratives of power woven into artistic representations of Moses. This "laugh," especially given the context of ter Borch's life as influenced by shifting religious and political dynamics, is not merely a pleasant expression; it is a potential disruption. How might it undermine existing hierarchies? Editor: I dig that—a disruption. Makes me think about that almost cartoonish outline of his hair; like it's practically vibrating with withheld amusement. Did ter Borch lean into informality and humor deliberately, subverting traditional portrayals with something akin to visual irony? Curator: Absolutely, the sketch-like quality complicates traditional readings, inviting further interpretation. Looking at this now, what does this say about how male power might be depicted through drawing practices? Or think about his profile. Does the absence of a fully visible face diminish Moses' stature in any meaningful way, or does it enhance the emotional accessibility of the image? Editor: Well, confining him to profile adds to that sense of contained energy I picked up on earlier; he's bursting to the sides. Plus, focusing just on his expression really brings his "mischief" to the forefront. It feels way more intimate somehow than if we saw the full regalia. Like he is a human. Curator: Ter Borch subtly democratizes Moses by rendering him this way; it prompts critical examination, and that may very well open channels to wider discourse about historical depiction versus lived realities and challenge institutional structures that often perpetuate uneven power dynamics. Editor: The humor really hits you, once you tune into it. Almost like ter Borch wanted people to connect with these figures as humans. He does have very fluffy hair; but who has perfect hair with all the shepherding around to do? Alright, Curator; any closing thoughts? Curator: Only that this humble sketch invites potent questioning and encourages audiences to contemplate power dynamics within cultural narratives. Editor: Very much in line with my pastry theft thought train! He got something sweet out of his post for sure!