Portret van Jacques Perk 1887

Jan Veth created this portrait of Jacques Perk using etching. The image captures Perk in profile, a common pose for formal portraits that lends a sense of dignity and contemplation. Made in the Netherlands, Veth's portrait reflects the cultural and literary circles of the late 19th century. Perk was a prominent poet associated with the "Tachtigers" movement, a group that advocated for artistic freedom and individualism against the more conservative literary establishment. Veth, also involved in these circles, uses the graphic medium of etching to render Perk's likeness, a medium often associated with intellectual and artistic pursuits, in contrast to the perceived commercialism of painting. To fully understand this portrait, one might explore the archives of literary journals and artists' correspondence from the period. These sources help us see how artists and writers mutually shaped one another’s work, and created their own institutions. This portrait shows the artist and poet as cultural heroes.