Man en een mannenhoofd met hoge hoed c. 1886 - 1890

Here we see a sketch by George Hendrik Breitner, housed in the Rijksmuseum, that presents the motif of a man with a top hat. The top hat, a symbol of the bourgeoisie, speaks volumes. Historically, it evolved from practical headwear to a marker of status, becoming a ubiquitous element in the visual language of modernity. This symbol transcends mere fashion. Consider its re-emergence in Magritte's surrealist paintings, where it embodies the anonymity and alienation of modern man. Or think of its earlier appearance in Daumier's caricatures, where it satirizes the pretensions of the wealthy. The hat, laden with symbolic weight, carries a psychological impact, evoking feelings of formality, power, and perhaps even repression. Symbols such as the top hat echo across time, revealing the cyclical nature of cultural expression and the enduring human need to mark identity and status, regardless of the era.