200 years of the Rijksmuseum: emotional faces (1)

In the context of the Rijksmuseum's 200th anniversary, the representation of emotions takes center stage in this two-part series. Through diverse artworks from different periods and cultures, it becomes visible how artists give form to feelings such as grief, joy, anger, eroticism, and devotion in face, posture, and material. This first part focuses on six works in which emotion is expressed through painting, sculpture, porcelain, woodcut, and pastel drawing. Together, they demonstrate how emotions are not only personal but also time- and culture-bound. 1. The Discovered False Virtue (1743) – Cornelis Troost (1697–1750) Imagined emotion: hypocritical grief and sadness As a former actor, Cornelis Troost found inspiration in the world of the theater. His paintings often depict humorous portrayals of the morals and customs of his time. The spirit of the eighteenth century is clearly present in the amorous, playful, and lighthearted scenes. The frivolous and the lighthearted, with an emphasis on emotion—sometimes bordering on the sentimental—takes center stage. Satisfaction with achievement, immorality, and pleasure characterize the superficial world of the wealthy and aristocratic upper class in the period following the Golden Age. As a portrait painter, Troost worked primarily with pastel crayons and used soft, sweet, and unexpressive colors. 2. Harlequin and Colombine (Meissner porcelain, 1744) – JJ Kändler (1706–1775) Imagined emotion: flirting, courting joyful happiness Commissioned by the Elector of Saxony, a porcelain factory was founded in Meissen in 1710 by Johann Friedrich Böttger. The artistically designed porcelain grew into coveted showpieces for the nobility and aristocracy. The cheerful, simple-minded servant Harlequin and the maid Colombine dance merrily together. The lively sculptural group is inspired by Italian folk theatre, the so-called Commedia dell'arte. Here, Rococo forms a refined continuation of the Baroque: the grandiose gives way to the graceful. 3. Japanese folk theater actor (1794) – Tshsai Sharaku Imagined emotion: anger Woodblock printing reached Japan in the eighteenth century via China. The woodcut designer Sharaku appeared suddenly on the scene and was active for only ten months, starting in May 1794. During that short period, he produced 28 close-up portraits of actors from the Japanese folk theater. The bust depicted here shows the actor Ichikawa in a villainous role. The grim, angry facial expression is rendered in a highly exaggerated manner: a contorted mouth, wide-open eyes, and tightly bound hair. This penetrating expression caused sensational reactions at the time. Mica powder has been incorporated into the gray background, giving the woodcut a silvery sheen. 4. Heavenly Beauty (c. 950) – anonymous Indian sculptor Imagined emotion: seductive eroticism, heavenly ecstasy In highly developed early Indian sculpture, female temple statues possess a strongly erotic beauty. Characteristic features include full, rounded forms, a body contorted into graceful curves, and the nudity of the broad-hipped figure. This ideal image of female beauty depicts the ritual union between ruler and temple servant. The young woman stands beneath a tree in which monkeys are playing; a monkey gently touches the thin, translucent robe that partially covers her body. She is still in ecstasy after lovemaking with her lover, visible in the nail scratches on her shoulder and cheek. The statue originates from the Khajuraho temple complex, built during the Chandella dynasty. 5. Saint Vitus (c. 1500) – unknown sculptor from Ulm Imagined emotion: piety, devotion, surrender and resignation Saint Vitus, born in the third century in Sicily, converted to Christianity at a young age. During the Christian persecutions under Emperor Diocletian, he was severely tortured to make him renounce his faith. The statue depicts Vitus crouching and praying in a round cauldron filled with boiling pitch or oil. His gaze is directed downwards and his face displays a resigned, subdued expression. According to legend, he was eventually saved by an angel. The statue, carved from fruitwood, lacks some details such as flames beneath the cauldron and attributes in the hands. 6. Woman in Turkish Costume (1755) – Jean-Étienne Liotard (1702–1789) Imagined emotion: sadness and melancholy Jean-Étienne Liotard led a wandering existence through Europe. In Constantinople, he became fascinated by Oriental life. He even adopted Turkish clothing and customs and let his hair grow long. As a representative of the Rococo style, Liotard used a refined and delicate pastel color palette. The noble lady depicted is Mary Gunning, Countess of Coventry. She sits pensively and melancholically on a sofa, her head resting on her hand, while dressed in Turkish costume, awaiting what the future will bring. A richly decorated Oriental carpet lies on the floor. Such exotic depictions closely aligned with the eighteenth-century fascination of the elite with the 'East' and fit fully within the Rococo aesthetic.