Studie van een man en vrouw in zeventiende-eeuwse kleding 1827 - 1891

Johannes Bosboom made this sketch titled 'Study of a Man and Woman in Seventeenth-Century Clothing' using graphite on paper. Bosboom, who lived from 1817 to 1891, situated his artistic practice in the Netherlands during a time of burgeoning interest in national history and cultural identity. In this piece, Bosboom directs our gaze towards the past, specifically the seventeenth century, a period often considered the Dutch Golden Age. The attire of the figures speaks to the sartorial codes of the time, but the sketch is more than just a historical record. It reflects a 19th century gaze upon gendered identities of a bygone era. The woman is modestly dressed, her form concealed, while the man, though also conservatively attired, stands with a posture suggesting a different kind of authority and presence. Bosboom invites us to consider how the constructs of gender and identity have been shaped and reshaped across time, and how we, in our present, continue to negotiate the complex interplay between past and present.