Slapende man met muts (zelfportret?) 1763 - 1825

Willem van Leen captured this sleeping man, possibly a self-portrait, in a delicate drawing. The soft lines and the subject's peaceful slumber evoke a sense of tranquility, yet, beneath the surface, the iconography of sleep speaks volumes. Consider the motif of sleep throughout art history. From the mythological figure of Endymion, eternally sleeping, to countless depictions of the sleeping Christ child, sleep often represents vulnerability and a retreat from the world's harsh realities. The hat worn by the man is particularly evocative. Similar head coverings appear in images of laborers and the working class, marking the wearer as someone grounded in the everyday struggles of life. But even in sleep, there is a cyclical return. The slumbering figure reminds us of the ancient concept of "incubatio," where seekers would sleep in sacred spaces to receive divine dreams or healing. Here, perhaps, Van Leen touches upon a more universal human experience, a yearning for respite and renewal. This image invites us to contemplate the dual nature of sleep—as both a surrender and a source of profound regeneration.