Studie van de kop van een jongen die zijn mond open heeft 1675 - 1711

Curator: Here we have “Studie van de kop van een jongen die zijn mond open heeft”, a study of a boy’s head with his mouth open. It’s an engraving housed here at the Rijksmuseum. While the artist is listed as anonymous, it’s believed to have been created sometime between 1675 and 1711. Editor: My first impression? There’s something very arresting about the immediacy. The stark lines capture a raw expression. The composition is split into two faces; one an unfinished sketch, the other further along. Curator: The duality of this image raises interesting questions about the pedagogy of the time. It may have served as an exercise, demonstrating the artistic process. Were students encouraged to capture emotion this way? Who was considered a fitting subject for portraiture? The historical record doesn’t always say, but the work still reveals a good deal about artistic production. Editor: Absolutely, and when we delve into the specifics of form, we see a study in contrast. Observe the interplay between light and shadow; on the right face. See how the fine lines create volume. Look at the wildness in the boy’s curly hair and how the sketch captures its essence with swift, unbroken outlines. It suggests a moment frozen in time. Curator: The choice to depict such a raw expression may reflect the burgeoning interest in humanism. There was a desire to move beyond the stoic and idealized representations of the aristocracy in official portraits and begin recognizing something honest in everyday subjects, like this boy. Editor: It brings to mind the question of intent: Is it scientific observation or artistic interpretation? Are we supposed to sympathize, or simply analyze? The artist presents us with a duality—process and portrait, reality and representation. Curator: Seeing it through the lens of social and institutional history gives a glimpse into the cultural values embedded within art education. Editor: Indeed. The piece highlights the perennial tension between raw emotion and artistic convention in a really immediate and vulnerable way.