Portret van Willem Bodeman 1841 - 1842

This is a small portrait of Willem Bodeman, made with etching by an anonymous German artist. The etching technique allowed for the easy reproduction of images, feeding a growing market for portraiture in nineteenth-century Europe. The stern expression and carefully groomed beard and hair of Willem Bodeman evoke the individualism that defined the bourgeois self-image of the period. Bodeman’s distinctive hat and scarf speak to the fashions of the day, and also to the sitter’s awareness of his own image. Although seemingly neutral, portraiture always operates within a social and economic system. As such, it is a valuable record of how its subjects want to be seen. The art historian can use a range of documentary sources such as fashion plates, photographic archives, and business records to better understand the image. The meaning of art always depends on its original social context.