Portret van een man 1788 - 1808

Jan Brandes created this pencil drawing, "Portret van een man," sometime in the late 18th century. Brandes, born in 1743, lived during a time of significant social and political upheaval. During the 1700s, portraiture was often used to assert the status of the sitter. Yet, here, Brandes provides us with an unsentimental portrayal of a man whose direct gaze conveys a sense of self-awareness. He appears unadorned by the flourishes typically found in aristocratic portraiture of the time. It prompts us to consider the identities and stories of those often left out of mainstream historical narratives. What does it mean to look at a person who looks back, unflinchingly? The imperfections on the paper add to the portrait's intimacy, creating a connection between the viewer and the subject that transcends time. "Portret van een man" is not just a depiction of an individual, it is a reminder of the diverse experiences and perspectives that shape our shared history.