Buste van een man met een hoed 1788 - 1811

Dirk van der Toorn made this bust of a man with a hat in the late 18th or early 19th century. The image reflects the Dutch fascination with the East, a theme prevalent in the art and literature of the period. This interest was fueled by the Dutch East India Company's extensive trade routes and colonial presence in Asia. The man's hat references orientalism, which suggests the cultural exchange that shaped artistic tastes at the time. Van der Toorn was working in a period when the art academy was solidifying its role in standardizing artistic training and taste. This engraving, with its somewhat rough and informal style, might be seen as a counterpoint to the polished, academic art that the institutions promoted. To fully appreciate this print, we might delve into the archives of the Dutch East India Company, explore fashion history, and study the visual culture of the Netherlands during this transformative era.