Blad met koppen 1840 - 1880

This sketch of heads was made by Johannes Tavenraat. The faces, rendered with quick, expressive lines, present a fascinating study in physiognomy, the now-discredited practice of assessing character through facial features. The man with the pipe, for instance, evokes the archetype of the contemplative intellectual, reminiscent of ancient philosophers depicted in classical busts. Consider the figure wearing the high hat; this symbol of civic pride, status, and formality is here rendered somewhat comically, a motif that appears throughout the works of Daumier. The collective memory of such archetypes shapes our perception, stirring subconscious associations. Each face in this sketch engages us on a deep, psychological level as if we recognize them from a dream. The symbols evolve, their meanings are constantly reshaped by the tides of history and cultural experience.