Man in een kamerjas, lezend in de krant 1814 - 1866

This print, made by Paul Gavarni, shows a man in a dressing gown, absorbed in reading a newspaper. Notice his bent posture and furrowed brow; he is the modern man, weary from the weight of information. Newspapers, born from the printing press, once heralded as beacons of enlightenment, now symbolize the burdens of an informed society. Consider the motif of reading itself, appearing throughout art history. From depictions of learned saints poring over holy texts to allegories of knowledge. Yet here, the act of reading is less about profound wisdom, and more about navigating the mundane, a sea of daily news. This symbol has been passed down through history, and shifted in meaning to being more about navigating modern life. The newspaper as a mirror reflecting our collective anxieties, each headline a fleeting shadow of a world in constant flux.