Buste van jonge man met hoed en snor 1690 - 1715

Nicolaes van Haeften created this small etching of a young man with a hat and mustache sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. It's an intimate portrayal, capturing a sense of everyday life in the Dutch Republic. The etching technique itself offers insights into the art world of the time. Etchings allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction, making art more accessible to a broader public. The sitter’s hat, long hair, and the hint of a cravat also speak to the fashion and social norms of the period. Is this a commissioned portrait, or a study of a particular social type? What does it mean to represent an ordinary man during the Dutch Golden Age? To understand the image better, we can consult period fashion plates, social histories, and records from art academies and workshops. Art history teaches us that even a seemingly simple image can be a window into a complex web of social, cultural, and economic forces.