Hoofd van een man c. 1656 - 1657

Moses ter Borch created this red chalk drawing, "Head of a Man," sometime in the mid-17th century in the Netherlands. The loose sketch shows a man wearing a feathered hat and a simple cloak or tunic. In the Dutch Golden Age, the open market for art meant artists often produced work for a broader public than ever before. They were free to focus on secular subjects like landscapes, portraits, and scenes of everyday life. This drawing, though just a sketch, reflects that interest in the individual. Although this seems like a simple drawing, the social background and economic structures of the time greatly influenced its production and consumption. The Rijksmuseum holds such cultural treasures, but its role as gatekeeper and interpreter also shapes how we understand them. Understanding art means understanding its context, which requires careful study of history books, archives, and other cultural records. That’s how we see art not just as beautiful or skillful but as a reflection of its time.