Mentor neemt afscheid van Telemachus 1719 - 1775

This watercolor and pen and ink drawing by Rienk Keyert captures a moment of farewell between Mentor and Telemachus. The composition is divided vertically into two distinct realms, one earthly and one celestial. Below, Telemachus kneels, his arms outstretched towards the heavens, a figure of supplication and hope. Above, Mentor, accompanied by an eagle, sits amongst the clouds looking down at Telemachus. Keyert employs a delicate palette of pastel hues, lending a sense of ethereal lightness to the upper register. The drawing’s formal structure, with its clear separation of earth and sky, suggests a world governed by hierarchical relationships. This division speaks to broader cultural codes about power, knowledge, and the perceived order of the universe. The act of looking, from Telemachus to Mentor and from the viewer to the artwork, invites us to consider how our own gaze shapes and is shaped by the world around us. Art, then, becomes a site where these power dynamics are negotiated and redefined.