Zittend mannelijk naakt, van voren gezien (2e prijs 1776) 1776

Curator: This drawing is titled "Zittend mannelijk naakt, van voren gezien," or "Seated Male Nude, Front View" and was created by Jan Tersteeg in 1776. Editor: My first impression is one of languid melancholy. The soft shading of the charcoal emphasizes the man's relaxed posture. Curator: Tersteeg created this study in charcoal and pencil during his academic training. We know it was awarded second prize in 1776, providing concrete context to the system of art production that encouraged such drawings. Editor: The fact that this was an awarded drawing gives insight into the art world of the late 18th century, the values and structures behind what was considered aesthetically pleasing and technically skilled, where male nudes took center stage, ripe for scrutiny and objectification. I question this traditional canon that puts forward European male beauty above everything else. Curator: Exactly, and from a purely materialist point of view, note the use of charcoal, a readily available and relatively inexpensive material, reflects a conscious decision influenced by its intended function within an educational setting. Cheaper, quicker studies like this one, were considered preparation to work with more costly material for an allegorical work that the Academy was more likely to deem "high art." Editor: Still, let's appreciate the sitter's soft gaze—an unusual hint of vulnerability that transcends the academic exercise, giving some sense of self that speaks across centuries. I think the ambiguity speaks volumes. Curator: Absolutely, and thanks to the relative ubiquity of charcoal as a medium, we have pieces like this to study today. These pedagogical exercises tell of their time and method. Editor: Precisely. Considering these subtle visual languages enables us to re-evaluate what academic exercises like Tersteeg's drawing truly represent culturally and socially.