Lopende man in lange mantel 1770 - 1825

Simon Andreas Krausz sketched this running man in a long coat with graphite around the late 18th or early 19th century. He has a stick, and the long coat suggests status. But what does this coat tell us? It drapes, hides, and shrouds. Think back to classical antiquity, where the toga symbolized citizenship and status, not unlike this man’s coat. Throughout history, long garments have signified roles of power: think of kings, priests, and judges. The garment carries a psychological weight; it conceals the individual, creating a sense of mystery, and inspires awe. Perhaps it reflects our collective memory, where the symbolism of clothing evokes archetypal figures. As time progresses, the coat loses its initial symbolic weight of power and status to be seen as a simple garment of protection from the elements. And so the coat reappears, its meaning molded by the relentless passage of time.