Lezende man 1734 - 1785

Curator: This is "Lezende man" or "Reading Man," an engraving by Jan Stolker, dating from roughly 1734 to 1785. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Oh, wow, that's one expressive face! It just radiates this raw, unfiltered glee. You can almost hear the belly laugh bubbling up from the page. Curator: It’s quite compelling, isn't it? Stolker, working well within the traditions of the Dutch Golden Age, was obviously aiming to capture a moment of intense emotional engagement. Prints like these circulated widely, influencing perceptions and shaping social understanding. Editor: Golden Age, huh? I'm just imagining what that fella is reading. Maybe he’s just won the lottery, or he's stumbled upon some wonderfully wicked gossip. The lines around his eyes tell tales – lived-in joy. Curator: The depiction certainly caters to a rising merchant class eager to find representations of themselves reflected in the arts. These images contributed to shaping identity. This work in particular reveals a social world keenly observing its populace. Editor: Oh, absolutely. And there’s something delightfully…scruffy about him, right? That wrinkled brow and almost mischievous glint—far cry from powdered wigs and such finery you often see! This almost feels revolutionary in its celebration of everyday humanness. Curator: Certainly, his direct engagement suggests something quite different from courtly portraiture. These artworks gained cultural value, but that value stemmed from broader social, economic, and political climates. It speaks volumes about representation. Editor: To be honest, though, even stripped of the historical stuff, the joy radiating off him feels so contagiously present. Makes me wonder if maybe simple, shared feelings aren't, you know, maybe the most lasting cultural currency of all? Curator: That’s a wonderfully astute observation. It’s easy to forget the primal appeal when you become entrenched in historical context, so thank you for reminding us of art's simple ability to provoke basic and shared human emotion. Editor: So, he read something amusing and Stolker caught that something. I’m good with that.