Wandelende heer met paraplu 1795 - 1813

Curator: The first thing that strikes me about "Wandelende heer met paraplu" — or "Gentleman Walking with Umbrella" as we would say — a drawing in ink and watercolor on paper housed here at the Rijksmuseum, is its incredible stillness. The figure, so self-contained, in this soft, hazy light. It is estimated to be from 1795 to 1813. Editor: It reminds me of an early sociological study, almost a record of bourgeoisie, post-French Revolution, in its most mundane form. Look at how he carries that rolled-up umbrella; a symbol, perhaps, of preparedness for changing social climates as much as for actual rain. Curator: A very Dutch pragmatism, maybe! There’s a slight melancholy too, isn’t there? He’s so alone, so distinctly rendered, yet entirely disconnected from any narrative. The artist, Joannes Pieter Visser Bender, isolates him within this... box. I want to make up stories for him, do you know what I mean? Editor: Precisely. It’s a kind of studied isolation that speaks volumes about the rising middle class: independent, individualistic, yet oddly exposed and vulnerable amidst societal shifts. Where does he come from? What kind of privilege shields him? The romance of Romanticism, though quite minimal here, allows one to contemplate the figure’s identity. Is his identity performed in his gesture, clothes? Curator: His little hat is quite wonderful too, very understated, yet…authoritative? Maybe it suggests how societal norms have created what we identify as “him”, our dear walking man. Editor: It speaks, rather poignantly, to the quiet revolutions that happened at that time in history, especially gender constructs that permeate what men do, even walking outside carrying an umbrella. There are ways of walking and standing and gesticulating for a gentleman that may appear normal but bear the symbolic marks of power. Curator: In the grand scheme of things, that’s the joy of encountering such seemingly simple works like this—entire narratives suggested through ink, watercolor and, what feels like, just a suggestion of a street beneath his feet. Editor: Absolutely. These visual documents unlock so much about identity and historical transitions and, despite the period depicted, resonate profoundly with ongoing discussions of power, class, and representation.