Portret van een man c. 1840 - 1843

Sybrand Altmann produced this portrait of a man with black chalk, sometime in the mid-19th century. It is a study in chiaroscuro, the contrast of light and shadow, a technique that was very popular during the time it was made. Art academies throughout Europe were gaining importance at this time. The Rijksmuseum itself was founded during this time. This drawing probably originated as an exercise in academic naturalism. The work may reflect broader social and cultural trends. During the 19th-century, the rise of the middle class led to increased interest in individual portraiture, as members of this rising class had more resources to commission portraits of themselves and their loved ones. Historians use a variety of resources to more fully understand the social conditions that shape artistic production and reception. We can begin to imagine the public role of art in the Netherlands at this time.