Porträt eines bärtigen Mannes in polnischer Kleidung 

Curator: Look at this drawing, currently held at the Städel Museum. It’s a compelling portrait attributed to Johannes Pieter de Frey, called "Portrait of a Bearded Man in Polish Clothing." It's rendered in chalk and charcoal on paper. Editor: My immediate impression is of a very earthy figure, monumental and somewhat melancholic. The use of light and shadow is dramatic, creating a sense of gravitas. Curator: The "Polish clothing" is crucial here. Costume in portraiture often signaled something about the sitter's identity, perhaps his origin, social standing, or political sympathies. Consider the complex relationship between Poland and other European powers, it’s fair to ask, what does this attire signify? Is it a signifier of resistance or perhaps affiliation? Editor: You are right. The Polish attire is certainly a key to unlocking potential narratives, but purely formally speaking, notice how de Frey uses hatching to build up tone, creating texture and volume in the beard and fur-trimmed coat. The man’s gaze, averted to the side, draws you in, demanding you analyze every shade and line. Curator: This drawing reflects an orientalist trend where depictions of those on the fringes were of high interests in mainstream artistic circles. How might his identity – implied by the ‘Polish clothing’ – position him in relation to ideas of Western European identity? Is there a tension here between the individual and the type? Editor: Undoubtedly. The very choice of charcoal and chalk allows de Frey to emphasize those qualities – the starkness of the lines, the smoky gradations. It steers away from idealization, giving a strong sense of real, lived texture, but at the same time is able to draw on the ideal with very sharp hatching to build his forms. Curator: Right. Acknowledging that tension is key to unpacking the portrait’s power. This portrait demands an engagement with cultural representation. De Frey does not give us a name but an article of clothing that defines him. Editor: Absolutely. Studying his handling of line, shadow, and even paper choice leads me to really question the subject that many may overlook. Thanks for offering a lens through which we can consider this amazing portrait.