Zittend mannelijk naakt, steunend op een arm 1664 - 1730

Jan Hoogsaat sketched this nude male figure with pencil sometime before his death in 1750. Observe the sitter's pose, reminiscent of classical sculpture, with his weight supported on one arm. This motif echoes the melancholic figures found in ancient Greek and Roman art, symbolizing contemplation and introspection. Consider the recurring image of the seated figure throughout art history—from Michelangelo's figures of the Medici Chapel to Rodin's Thinker—each reflecting the cultural and psychological states of their times. The very act of reclining can be traced back through countless iterations, each imbuing the figure with new meaning. Here, the posture, while classical in origin, may speak to a deeper, perhaps subconscious, longing for a return to idealized forms, a visual echo across centuries. Hoogsaat's drawing encapsulates how artistic symbols never truly vanish; they evolve, resurface, and are continually imbued with new layers of meaning.