Kopf eines alten Mannes mit kurzem Bart und Haupthaar 

Cornelis Visscher made this drawing of an old man with a short beard in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-17th century. The image offers an interesting tension between naturalistic representation and social norms around aging. In Dutch Golden Age society, age was typically equated with wisdom and respect, yet this man's startled expression and the loose, almost hurried sketch style subtly challenge such straightforward notions. The sketch may subtly critique the era's established institutions and social expectations. Was Visscher commenting on the social structures of his time? To fully understand this work, we can research the social and economic conditions in the 17th-century Netherlands. Through historical records, we might uncover how artists like Visscher engaged with or challenged societal conventions. Art history isn't just about aesthetics; it's a lens through which we can examine the values and power dynamics of past societies.