Portret van een man in Nederlands-Indië met een hoge hoed, en profil 1848 - 1854

This is Christian Heinrich Gottlieb Steuerwald's study of a man in the Dutch East Indies, drawn with pen in the early to mid-19th century. Observe how Steuerwald used hatching and cross-hatching to define the form of his sitter. These densely worked areas create darker tones, suggesting the play of light and shadow across the figure. The parallel lines evoke volume and texture. Note the contrast between the detailed rendering of the man and hat, versus the gestural lines that make up the background. The contrast in textures directs our attention to the sitter’s face, and in turn invites us to question the relationship between the figure and the background that surrounds him. This contrast is important because it destabilizes established meanings, and categories of representation.