Twee grijsaards in monniksdracht 1833 - 1892

Johannes Christiaan d' Arnaud Gerkens created this pencil drawing, titled 'Two Greybeards in Monastic Robes’. During the 19th century, the Netherlands was undergoing significant social and religious changes, and Gerkens, as an artist, was part of this evolving cultural landscape. Looking at the drawing, we see two figures, likely elderly men, cloaked in the habits of monks. Their faces are etched with lines, suggesting a life of contemplation or hardship. There's a palpable sense of quietude. The choice to depict monks during this period is interesting. Monastic life often represents a retreat from the world, a turning inward, a focus on spiritual matters. It invites us to consider the role of religion and spirituality in a rapidly modernizing world. Does it offer solace? A path to meaning? Perhaps Gerkens is inviting us to reflect on the tension between tradition and modernity, faith and reason.