Figuurstudie van een staande man, bijna en profil naar rechts c. 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke made this study of a standing man with graphite on paper, likely in the mid-18th century in the Netherlands. It’s a sketch, seemingly quick, and the man is formally dressed. Such a study would have helped the artist later, as Fokke was an accomplished engraver, making illustrations for books and prints. But let’s consider the social conditions that shaped this artwork. In the Dutch Republic in the 1700s, there was a strong bourgeois culture, with a big emphasis on trade, science, and civic life. Fokke’s drawing reflects this culture. It’s a study of a middle-class man, probably a merchant. Fokke shows the man’s social standing through his clothes. The detailed attention given to attire speaks to its importance in visual codes of class. To fully understand this drawing, we might research Dutch fashion of the time and delve into the publishing industry, looking at who Fokke worked for. Only then can we better grasp the meaning of art as rooted in its social and institutional context.