Art Story

In "Dubbende man", Roger Raveel depicts a stylised figure with clasped hands - a restrained gesture that conveys calm and concentration. The title suggests the figure is male, although his identity remains anonymous and without personal traits. This lends him a universal quality. The figure wears a cap, a recurring motif in Raveel's work that refers to everyday life and the familiar people from his immediate surroundings. Above the cap - or head - hovers a flat plane, a visual element that appears frequently in his oeuvre. It may be read as a space for free thought, or alternatively as a sign of introspection and mental withdrawal. This interpretation is reinforced by the title, which refers to the Flemish word "dubben", meaning "to hesitate" or "to waver." In that sense, the drawing can be understood as the depiction of an inner moment of reflection.