Jonge man met een hoed 1734 - 1785

This is Jan Stolker’s etching ‘Young Man with a Hat’ held at the Rijksmuseum. The eye is immediately drawn to the figure’s somber gaze set against the contrasting light and dark tones of the work. The texture, achieved by Stolker’s manipulation of the etching process, gives a palpable quality to the young man's features. Consider how Stolker uses the formal elements to create a portrait that transcends mere representation. The contrast between light and shadow not only models the figure's face and clothing, giving them depth and volume, but also serves a semiotic function, perhaps hinting at the character's complex interior life. Note how the hat casts a shadow, obscuring part of his face, which seems to invite interpretations about hidden identities. The formal structure of the etching, with its calculated use of light and dark, serves to highlight the aesthetic and intellectual dimensions, inviting us to consider not only what we see, but also how we see and interpret the world around us.