Oude man met pet 1887

Editor: This is Jan Veth’s etching, "Oude man met pet," or "Old Man with Cap," from 1887, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's incredibly detailed for a print; I can see every wrinkle on his face! He looks like he's seen a thing or two. What's your take? Curator: It's the kind of portrait that whispers stories, isn't it? I think Veth beautifully captures a sense of lived experience. He has etched in the nuances of the Realist style of portraiture. He doesn't prettify or idealize; instead, he hones in on the truth he sees, on character made visible by age. Doesn’t he almost feel like someone you might pass on the street, a quiet observer of life unfolding? Editor: Yes! He feels very… present. Do you think Veth knew him personally? There's an intimacy here. Curator: It’s a lovely thought. What do you notice about the line work? The deliberate etching… the careful choices Veth made, they build, layer upon layer to show a specific understanding. Consider this too, many Impressionists were moving to quick plein-air oil sketches, while Veth is showing that prints can be intimate, revealing, and true. What mood do the Impressionist and Realist techniques blend together evokes? Editor: A somber mood I think. But he does come across as noble. Like he’s weathered the storm but hasn't broken. I’d never thought of prints as something that could capture emotion like this before. Curator: It’s all there, isn’t it? Veth really pushes the boundaries, allowing the viewer to connect with this man on a deeply human level. I also see in the loose handling of the etching a deep kind of respect that lets the man breathe and be simply...present. Editor: Thanks, I'll look at portraits so differently from now on. Curator: My pleasure. Me too! Every time I look at it, I imagine new details in his biography!