Lezende figuren c. 1840 - 1860

Charles Rochussen created ‘Lezende figuren’ as a drawing. The work is defined by spare, linear qualities which delineate three figures arranged across the pictorial space. Notice the economy of line: Rochussen has used a minimal approach to convey form and posture. He uses a semiotic system of signs to highlight both the act of reading and the social relationships between the figures. The figure on the left stands alone, absorbed in his book, while the other two figures sit together, one also reading, in close proximity. The composition, though seemingly simple, is subtly structured to draw contrasts between individual contemplation and social interaction. The lack of shading and detail directs our focus to the posture and the gestures, and the figures become representations of different modes of engagement. Rochussen’s drawing invites viewers to consider how the act of reading mediates our connection to the world and to one another. Art does not have a singular, unchanging meaning but is a site of ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.