Ubekendt mandsportræt 1767 - 1824

This is Andreas Flint’s "Unknown Man's Portrait," an engraving on paper. Flint, who died in 1824, lived in a revolutionary period when a rising middle class sought representation. Here, the man's crisp profile, framed in a dark circle, embodies the restrained elegance valued at the time. He is wearing a military coat, perhaps signifying valor and service. The stark lines and monochromatic tones give the portrait a sense of formality, yet the man's slight smile hints at a more approachable nature. Engravings like these were often commissioned by the bourgeois as a means to capture likenesses, and communicate status. The emotional weight of this portrait lies in its quiet dignity, its commitment to the representation of an individual within a society undergoing profound change. While the subject’s identity remains a mystery, the portrait itself speaks volumes about the era's aspirations and the desire for recognition in a changing social landscape.