Man with Owl in Window 

Curator: Let’s take a look at this interesting drawing attributed to Jacob Jordaens titled "Man with Owl in Window." The technique relies heavily on chiaroscuro, that dramatic interplay of light and shadow so popular during the Baroque period. Editor: Immediately, what strikes me is the unsettling jollity! There’s such exaggerated mirth on these figures’ faces –almost grotesque. Is that meant to be charming? It feels… performative, somehow. And the owl perched there like a judge. Curator: It's certainly not your typical flattering portrait. I find it insightful to consider the materials themselves. Drawings like this weren’t always viewed with the same reverence as paintings. Often they were preparatory studies, part of the workshop process of crafting larger pieces, objects circulating amongst apprentices and masters. Editor: True, I see that. It has that energy of a fleeting impression, captured quickly. Almost a caricature, wouldn’t you say? It feels like Jordaens is exploring the performative nature of expression—pushing features to the edge of believability. Perhaps he saw this mirth as another kind of mask. Curator: Indeed. And in the context of the time, genre scenes—slices of everyday life, not explicitly religious or historical—were gaining traction. This could be interpreted as a satirical genre painting, examining the social rituals of laughter and spectacle. Editor: That’s fascinating. To me, it evokes this very human urge to project—to display an emotion, perhaps to mask something deeper. It feels very modern in that sense; the knowing glance, the calculated display. Almost unsettlingly so. That owl—silently witnessing everything! Curator: And who is consuming this spectacle? Us, viewing the artwork. The drawing provides evidence of artistic labour in a specific time period. It encourages consideration of workshops and patronage, as part of a social apparatus in which art played a vital function. Editor: Absolutely. This small drawing, even though not quite comfortable, somehow creates a resonance within me. Thank you. Curator: Thank you. It’s important that we think of how making, circulating, and displaying the work contributes to creating cultural context.