Huis aan de Singel bij Delft 1862 - 1868

This ink drawing captures a "House on the Canal in Delft" by Johannes Tavenraat. The house, sketched with precise lines, shows windows that stare back with an uncanny resemblance to eyes. The windows are reminiscent of Alberti's 'window to the world', but also take on a life of their own, mirroring our own gaze. As we look at them, are they also observing us? This is an exercise in 'pathosformel,' a representation of inner emotional states through external forms. We see it in ancient Greek art with the exaggerated drapery that intensifies movement and emotion. Here, in Tavenraat’s sketch, the architectural elements serve as a canvas for our own projections and psychological interpretations. The house in Delft becomes a vessel, filled with human significance and echoes through time.