Staande piekenier 1834 - 1892

This drawing of a standing pikeman was created by Edouard Taurel. The lithograph employs detailed, controlled lines to build form and texture within a limited tonal range. The figure is presented formally, holding a polearm, his gaze direct, engaging the viewer in a moment of poised stillness. The artist uses the visual vocabulary of portraiture to subtly explore themes of identity and representation. The composition of this lithograph can be interpreted as a system of signs. The pikeman’s attire, the polearm, and even his direct gaze, function as codes that speak to military service, honor, and civic duty. The image invites us to decode not just who this man is, but what he represents within the broader context of 19th-century society. Note the expert control of line and the way Taurel uses hatching to define the planes of the figure’s face and uniform. This adds to the image’s overall structural integrity, but also invites ongoing cultural and historical interpretations.