Jongenskop 1870 - 1931

Editor: This is Willem Bastiaan Tholen's "Jongenskop," dating sometime between 1870 and 1931, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It's a simple pencil drawing, but the subject's gaze is quite intense. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: The gaze, precisely! Notice how Tholen captures a sense of introspection. In the symbol language of portraiture, to avert one's gaze often signifies contemplation, or even a touch of melancholy. The boy is looking towards something beyond the frame, and, by extension, perhaps beyond our immediate reality. Editor: That's interesting. So you see the averted gaze as a symbol of something deeper? Curator: Absolutely. And consider the pencil medium itself. Pencil, often used for sketches and preparatory studies, hints at a process of becoming, an unveiling. Is the artist revealing a soul in progress, or simply practicing capturing a likeness? What stories might that young boy's face contain, etched by time? Editor: It makes me think about the fleeting nature of childhood, and the weight of potential carried in those years. The delicate shading with pencil conveys a sense of fragility. Curator: Precisely. Does it remind you of any other images or stories? Think of archetypes – the innocent youth, the dreamer. What is Tholen telling us through this portrait? Is it a general statement about youth, or a commentary on the boy himself? Editor: I hadn’t considered how much the medium itself contributes to the message. Thank you; that’s a different lens through which to view portraiture. Curator: It's always fascinating to uncover the layers of meaning within seemingly simple images. These symbols invite us to reflect on our shared human experiences across time.