Kop van een jongen 1865 - 1913

Bramine Hubrecht’s “Head of a Boy” captures a sensitive, soulful moment with graphite on paper. The boy’s gaze, directed slightly upward, evokes classical depictions of youthful innocence. The motif of the upward gaze is a potent symbol. We see it echoed through the ages, from the faces of Renaissance angels to the Romantic portraits of young poets lost in thought. It represents not just observation, but also aspiration and a connection to something beyond the mundane. Think of Bernini's "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa," where the upward glance signifies spiritual rapture, or even the gaze of countless Madonnas seeking divine guidance. The meaning is transformed, yet the gesture remains, resonating with the viewer on a primal level. In Hubrecht's drawing, this gaze invites us to consider the interior world of youth, its dreams, and its vulnerabilities. The dark shading and the subject's posture create an atmosphere of contemplative introspection. The symbol invites us to recognize a shared human experience across time.