Portret van P.M. Mess Possibly 1853 - 1855

Curator: This drawing, attributed to Johann Peter Berghaus and created between approximately 1853 and 1855, is titled "Portret van P.M. Mess." It’s a portrait executed in graphite and pencil, currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression? This fellow has a twinkle in his eye. Sort of a restrained glee about him, wouldn't you say? A bit like he knows a secret—or *is* a secret, tucked away in some dusty archive. The fine details in the drawing also suggest an undeniable precision in his dress that matches his glance. Curator: Precisely! That "twinkle," as you put it, could be seen as a reflection of the Romantic era’s fascination with the individual, with the interior life. The artist captures more than mere likeness; he aims for an essence. Consider the pose itself—relaxed yet upright—signifying a balance between personal comfort and social bearing. It indicates he's accustomed to his public persona. Editor: He strikes me as being in between identities as you were saying, not knowing where to settle with all the different requirements expected of him. Makes one wonder about P.M. Mess’ actual story, doesn’t it? He may even be melancholic! And that meticulously rendered jacket with buttons—it speaks of aspirations and constraints all at once, really. It's brilliant, I'd say. It contains so much! Curator: And consider, too, the very nature of drawing itself, and especially with graphite: its inherent ability to create shadows, suggest depths, and thus allude to the invisible aspects of a personality. This particular portrait transcends simple representation; it strives toward revelation through form. I want to emphasize that its beauty stems from its symbolic weight—Romanticism's search for higher consciousness and unique essence through realistic depiction. Editor: Well said. Looking at this pencil and graphite rendering, one is also reminded that the physical work becomes an impression of not just a time, or person, but also someone's character, so subtly shaped. And that, as the drawing reveals, remains resonant today.