Zittend mannelijk naakt, van opzij gezien (1e prijs 1819) Possibly 1819

Jan de Ruyter sketched this male nude in 1819, capturing a seated figure in quiet repose. The subject's gaze is directed downwards, a posture reminiscent of classical depictions of melancholy or contemplation. Consider how this pose echoes through art history. We find similar figures in ancient sculptures, Renaissance paintings, and even modern photography. This motif, however, is not merely about sadness. It suggests a deeper reflection, an engagement with inner thoughts. Think of Michelangelo’s figures, imbued with the weight of human existence, or Rodin’s "Thinker," forever locked in contemplation. The very act of depicting the nude male form carries its own symbolic weight, evoking ideals of beauty, strength, and vulnerability. The figure's relaxed posture here contrasts with the heroic nudes of antiquity. This is not a god or a warrior, but a man lost in thought, connecting us to the enduring human capacity for introspection, a poignant, cyclical theme in the theater of images.