Portret van Johannes Messchaert 1896 - 1936

Theodorus Kerstel made this pencil drawing of Johannes Messchaert in 1896. Kerstel’s choice of subject is interesting, because Messchaert was a famous singer with an international reputation. This artwork reflects the cultural values of the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century, when Dutch society was undergoing rapid modernization and artists were exploring new ways of representing the world around them. Kerstel would likely have been trained at an art academy where he was instilled with a sense of civic duty to use art to celebrate Dutch culture and history. He would have sought to portray Meschaert’s dignity, his success, and his sophistication, reflecting the image that the sitter wanted to project. To better understand Kerstel’s drawing, it's important to delve into the cultural context of the time, exploring sources like contemporary newspapers, concert programs, and biographical accounts to gain a richer sense of the relationship between art, society, and individual identity.