Staande man met luit 1824 - 1894

Charles Rochussen made this pencil drawing of a standing man with a lute. Rochussen was working in the Netherlands during a period of significant social change and artistic development; he was known for his illustrations of everyday life, often with a humorous or satirical edge. The man in this drawing is seen from behind, wearing what appears to be a theatrical costume, complete with a feathered hat, the lute hanging from his left hand. The figure's casual pose, with one hand on his hip, suggests a moment of rest or contemplation. Consider how the figure represents a moment of performance, of assumed identity. Rochussen’s work captures a sense of the performative nature of identity, which reflects the growing diversity and self-awareness within Dutch society. This drawing might seem like a simple sketch, but it invites us to think about how we construct our identities, and how artists like Rochussen observed and portrayed these shifts in their rapidly changing world.