Figuurstudie van een staande man, op de rug gezien c. 1722 - 1784

This is a chalk drawing by Simon Fokke, a ‘figure study of a standing man, seen from the back’. The subject is portrayed wearing a tricorne hat with the brim turned up on three sides, popular during the 18th century. Consider the motif of the turned back. It first calls to mind Caspar David Friedrich's 'Wanderer above the Sea of Fog'. The man's turned back in both images places the viewer in an intimate position, as if we are intruding upon a private moment. The gesture establishes a sense of shared humanity across different eras. It is a non-verbal acknowledgement of our shared place in the world as ‘wanderers.’ This simple motif conveys a complex message about observation, exploration, and the subjective experience of life that resonates throughout the centuries, and continues to evolve as new works build upon its foundation.