Dikke man met stok 1809 - 1845

This line drawing, created by Paulus Charles Gerard Poelman, captures a stout man with a cane. Consider the figure's staff. Throughout history, the staff has been a symbol of authority and guidance. Think of Moses leading his people, or the scepters held by monarchs. Here, the staff is shorter, perhaps suggesting a more personal authority, or even a hint of self-mockery. The figure's exaggerated form, combined with the staff, evokes archetypes of both power and folly. The figure's posture and attire are reminiscent of characters from commedia dell'arte, figures whose gestures and costumes conveyed stock emotions and social types. In this context, the image becomes a study of how symbols and gestures are re-imagined, carrying echoes of past meanings, and opening up to new interpretations across time. In a way, it echoes our collective memory, where figures of authority are constantly re-evaluated and re-presented.