Naakte man met hoofddoek, zittend op rots 1679 - 1728

Jean-Baptiste de Poilly created this print, *Naakte man met hoofddoek, zittend op rots,* employing engraving techniques to craft a composition dominated by tonal contrasts. The man, centrally positioned, merges with the rugged landscape through a network of fine lines and hatching. De Poilly’s strategic deployment of line directs our attention to the corporeal form, set against the backdrop of a cavernous rock formation. The formal arrangement here reflects early Enlightenment debates on reason and nature. Here, the nude figure, with his turban, embodies an idealized classical form, yet he is embedded within a natural, almost primordial setting. This contrast—civilization versus nature—reveals a semiotic tension characteristic of the period. It destabilizes any singular interpretation. Note the economy of line and texture—an approach that suggests a larger cultural dialogue about the nature of human existence. The artwork remains open, inviting successive generations to engage with its questions.