Portret van een man met een sigaret 1890 - 1946

Curator: Here, at the Rijksmuseum, we see "Portret van een man met een sigaret," or "Portrait of a Man with a Cigarette," a pencil drawing by Cornelis Vreedenburgh, estimated to have been made sometime between 1890 and 1946. Editor: It's raw. The sketchy lines give it a kind of vulnerable, unfinished feel, as if we're catching a fleeting moment, a private contemplation perhaps disrupted by the artist’s gaze. It's incredibly intimate for a public display. Curator: Intimacy is certainly present, as is a degree of isolation. Notice how the gaze avoids direct contact. The symbol of the cigarette itself adds layers. Beyond being a sign of the era, what emotional connotations do you think that symbol carries? Editor: In that era, a cigarette was arguably a sign of defiance but here it seems…subdued. Smoking could represent leisure, reflection, or even a kind of self-destructive habit. Given the time period, the figure embodies the complicated masculine identities still being negotiated and questioned even today. Curator: Very much so, the interplay of shadow and light are masterfully controlled for what is ostensibly a quick sketch. It highlights a very subtle commentary of society itself as a man is caught unaware and represented in his daily vices. I also detect undertones of loneliness and silent revolt. He doesn't seem to embrace it but nor does he seem ashamed of it. Editor: Exactly! The downward tilt to the head lends that sense of unease to the portrait, and his internal world contrasts directly with the sharp lines indicating the bare environment he is found within. How does Vreedenburgh’s technical choices contribute to this overall tone of disillusionment, or perhaps more precisely, resignation? Curator: The loose application of the pencil lends itself to multiple perspectives of understanding, almost implying that there is something inherently obscured, the way one might experience a hazy dream of cigarette smoke in a quiet lounge of sorts. This aligns beautifully with the era. Editor: The sketch really exemplifies how even simple lines can transmit immense stories, unspoken criticisms, and tender human experiences across time. The power of art! Curator: Indeed. A window into a soul caught mid-thought, rendered with haunting elegance. It causes one to contemplate.