Geleerde in zijn werkvertrek 1809 - 1837

Curator: What a wonderful Romantic scene, a drawing in ink on paper called "Scholar in his study," attributed to Pieter Bartholomeusz. Barbiers and dating from around 1809-1837. Editor: Oh, immediately striking is the pensiveness of the figure—he seems weighed down, almost world-weary. What stories does that turban hold, I wonder? Curator: Indeed! He is deep in thought, resting his head on his hand while gazing at the book open before him. Note the details like the globe and rich drapery, setting him firmly in his intellectual world. Editor: A world that's constructed, right? The “genre scene” presents the idea of scholarly contemplation but whose contemplation are we witnessing and for what purpose? The image seems steeped in the aesthetics of orientalism and its associated power dynamics. Curator: True. The exotic turban adds to the painting's visual interest. You get the feeling of intellectual curiosity and discovery, tinged by that hint of melancholic reflection. It is not simply an inventory of objects, it's about what all this could mean to one man. Editor: Yes, that so-called exoticism is an appropriation, transforming knowledge and learning into a performative exercise and an engagement with, quite frankly, stolen histories. Curator: It's certainly a painting that leaves you thinking. Editor: Precisely. There’s so much that a single drawing can say, whether intended or not. A little window into both the artistic aims and blindspots of its time.