Staande man met de handen in zijn zij, en profil Possibly 1772 - 1833

Mathias de Sallieth made this drawing of a standing man with pen in gray ink on paper sometime in the late 18th century. The man's proud stance with hands on hips and his direct gaze project an air of authority. The detailed rendering of his clothing, from the buttoned jacket to the breeches and buckled shoes, offer insights into the fashion and social status of the time. Given Sallieth’s position as a military man, it's likely he made this piece in The Netherlands. The Rijksmuseum's acquisition of this work speaks to the growing institutional interest in collecting and preserving images of everyday life. The Dutch Republic in the late 1700s was a society grappling with economic decline and political tensions. While the image appears straightforward, as historians we can research similar images from the time to uncover more about the social and political dynamics of the era and to understand the artist’s role.