Twee schetsen van een zittende man 1840 - 1880

This ink drawing shows two sketches of a seated man by Johannes Tavenraat, and it is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. The composition consists of two quick studies, each capturing the figure in a seated position, yet they evoke contrasting emotional registers. The sketch on the left has a dynamic, almost agitated quality, marked by the figure’s expressive gesture, pointing outward, while the right figure is introspective. Tavenraat uses line and form not merely to represent but to suggest narrative and psychological depth. The materiality of ink on paper creates a directness, a sense of immediacy that invites the viewer to consider the act of drawing itself. Consider how Tavenraat's mark-making, with its raw, unfiltered quality, challenges the conventional boundaries of representation. The contrast between the figures invites ongoing interpretation and discourse.