Jongen met een gevouwen kraag 1658 - 1706

Curator: Here we have "Jongen met een gevouwen kraag," or "Young Man with a Folded Collar," a captivating drawing housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It's attributed to Wallerant Vaillant, and though its exact date of creation is debated, it falls somewhere between 1658 and 1706. Editor: There’s something hauntingly familiar about the subject's gaze. The charcoal rendering seems almost photographic in its capturing of light and shadow; it's amazing for the apparent age. The folds in the clothing have incredible dimension and visual weight. Curator: Absolutely. If we consider the historical context, portraiture of this kind often served as a display of status and identity. I wonder about the young man—who was he? How did social norms of the time influence his representation? Is he idealized, or are we getting a more truthful depiction? Editor: The medium is crucial here. Drawings like this would have been preliminary studies, preparatory works for larger paintings perhaps. They give us direct insight into Vaillant's process, his use of line and shading to model form. And charcoal itself – such a basic, elemental material. Think of the labor, the process. Curator: Indeed. And beyond technique, consider the power dynamics inherent in portraiture. Vaillant, as the artist, holds a certain amount of power over how this young man is seen and remembered. Was this commission part of some social or political performance on behalf of the sitter, perhaps as an emblem for early modern constructs of the male? Editor: Possibly, but I'm also stuck by the lack of ostentation. His folded collar isn't overtly lavish, there are so little in the way of discernible societal cues available in this artwork.. This points to a more intimate setting of craftsmanship rather than simply the wealth it implies. Curator: That’s a very good point. It compels me to re-evaluate the idea that it could just be about a surface-level depiction. What might Vaillant be saying about youth, privilege, or even the gaze itself? Editor: And for me, it makes me further respect what we can see of Vaillant’s methodology and choices here. To draw a portrait such as this took care, skill and craft, and perhaps even an effort to go against the grain. Curator: This artwork opens so many intriguing avenues of interpretation, revealing layers of history and challenging our own perspectives. Editor: Indeed, a stunning insight into not only a young man’s life in a past era but into the processes and modes of representation as they shift with time and societal pressure.