Voorovergebogen oude man 1818

Willem Jacob Herreyns made this drawing of an old man with pen in grey-brown and brush in grey, on paper. Herreyns was director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In this context, it’s important to see the image not just as a portrait, but as an academy study. The old man serves as an exemplar of classical virtue. The drawing connects to the broader social function of art education in the Netherlands, at a time of political and social upheaval. It references the classical tradition in its style and subject, a cultural strategy designed to transmit values through formal instruction. By examining historical documents from the Academy, such as student records, financial accounts, and syllabi, we can begin to understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production at that time. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.