Portret van Maurits van der Valk 1918

Curator: Here we have Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita’s “Portret van Maurits van der Valk,” created in 1918. It's a compelling woodcut, part of the graphic arts collection here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, instantly, the rigid lines of the wallpaper and paneling make me feel boxed in, almost like the sitter is trapped. It's a powerful image. Curator: It is. The work really showcases the artist's talent in capturing emotion through very deliberate and sharp linework, doesn't it? Jessurun de Mesquita was quite known for his Expressionist prints and drawings. It's intriguing how a portrait, typically intended to convey status or beauty, here seems to express introspection, even perhaps a degree of weariness, amidst a stark environment. Editor: Definitely. The limited colour palette accentuates the harshness. And Maurits van der Valk’s hands are clasped so tightly. He's withdrawn. The angles create a sort of unease. There's a visual tension between him and the space he occupies. Curator: Indeed. It’s worth noting the socio-political context as well; 1918, near the end of the First World War, carried a pervasive atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety. Could that external unrest be somehow seeping into this portrayal of the individual? Editor: That resonates strongly. It’s like that rigid formality you see might be a shell—a shield against vulnerability in chaotic times. I almost wonder what secrets he is trying to hide? Or maybe protect? Curator: That's a perceptive interpretation. It invites us to consider how societal pressures and personal burdens can manifest in portraiture. It moves beyond the merely representational, into the psychological, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely. This woodcut really stuck with me; the visual economy is impressive, as is the sense of psychological depth. Curator: A striking convergence of individual sentiment and historical moment, then.