Lezende man met een hoed in een stoel, van achteren 1865 - 1930

Editor: Here we have "Lezende man met een hoed in een stoel, van achteren"—"Man Reading in a Chair with a Hat, Seen from Behind"—a pencil drawing by Jac van Looij, sometime between 1865 and 1930. It feels very intimate, like we’re peeking into someone’s private world. I am really drawn to how immediate the marks feel! What do you see in this sketch? Curator: Oh, absolutely! I’m struck by the quiet stillness, a sort of frozen moment of contemplation. It's funny, isn't it, how a simple sketch can hold such depth? Look at how Van Looij uses light and shadow, mostly shadow actually, to convey the man’s absorbed focus. The hatch marks almost feel like a whisper of the artist's hand. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it: what was he reading? Editor: It does! I keep wanting to invent the story in the book! The subject almost disappears into the dark background. Why do you think the artist chose this perspective, showing us the back of the man instead of his face? Curator: Perhaps because sometimes, the back tells a richer story. It invites us to project our own emotions, our own narratives, onto that anonymous figure. It transforms a simple portrait into a shared experience, you see? It’s as if the artist is saying, "Come, sit here with me in the silence. What do *you* feel?" Is it effective? Editor: I think so! It's like he wants to include you, involve you in the scene. Curator: Precisely! It’s a reminder that art isn't just about seeing, but about feeling and connecting. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. It’s changed how I look at quick sketches. It’s not just a study, it can be a real statement!