Portret van Johann Rudolf Ulrich 1795 - 1817

Johann Heinrich Lips created this portrait of Johann Rudolf Ulrich, now at the Rijksmuseum, using engraving techniques. The oval composition, a frame within the larger rectangular sheet, draws our attention directly to Ulrich's face. The formal arrangement speaks to Enlightenment ideals of order and clarity. Lips's engraving employs hatching and cross-hatching to define Ulrich's features, creating depth and volume through a play of light and shadow. This technique transforms a flat surface into a three-dimensional representation. The texture of the paper, made visible through the engraving process, adds another layer of material presence to the work. The portrait, in its structured form, communicates not just an image of an individual but also the values of his time. It invites us to consider how the structural elements of art can convey complex cultural and philosophical ideas.