Portret van Hendrik Stokvisch 1811

Curator: This pencil drawing, created in 1811, is titled *Portret van Hendrik Stokvisch*, a portrait by Jacob Ernst Marcus, now residing here at the Rijksmuseum. What springs to mind when you see it? Editor: Melancholy, definitely melancholy. And a touch of slyness, perhaps? There’s something very intimate, almost secretive, about the gaze and the pose. Curator: The interesting part about the neoclassical portraits is the absence of baroque ornaments; the linear exactitude shows the true physiognomy with scientific interest in his individuality. Editor: Yes, there’s a stripped-down quality that’s quite striking. It emphasizes the stark simplicity. The use of line, hatching, the restrained shading, and tonal graduation—everything points toward a concentrated vision. Look at how the hair defies the lines; it adds to this air of intellectual self-absorption that many historical figures chose to transmit. Curator: The portrait’s strength lies in the expression that reflects back, especially when viewing its material execution. I mean, can you imagine spending that long trying to master such an intimate style? It must’ve been more demanding on the artistic self than working with oils. Editor: It's incredible to see such fine detail achieved with what, at first glance, seems a simple medium. It invites a sustained gaze, this work. It pulls you into this sense of historical, social space where identity and purpose feel weighted. Curator: That pensive pose, hand to the chin... I can imagine Stokvisch contemplating life, or at least wanting others to believe that! The whole thing feels staged, perhaps ironically, for how intimate it appears, as if projecting and inviting deep engagement. Editor: I'm fascinated by how contemporary the image looks—despite its historical markings. A modern thinker might be very close to us through this neoclassical form, a style for ages, it looks to last. Curator: Indeed, Jacob Ernst Marcus managed to create a portrait that speaks across centuries.