Jongeman met muts 1828

Anthonie Willem Hendrik Nolthenius de Man created this print, “Jongeman met muts,” in 1828. Nolthenius de Man, active in the Netherlands during the early 19th century, worked in a period defined by social and political upheaval following the Napoleonic Wars. This print of a young man in a cap appears to be after a work by Rembrandt. At this time, it was common for artists to copy and circulate the work of other artists. The image presents us with questions about identity and representation. Who was this young man, and what does his attire suggest about his social standing? What does it mean to represent a representation? The circulation of prints allowed for broader engagement with images and, in this case, perhaps also with issues of class and gender, even if filtered through the lens of artistic interpretation and reproduction. This print invites us to consider how art can both reflect and shape societal perceptions, and how historical works can speak to contemporary issues.