Portret van heer Le Clercq c. 1851 - 1883

This is Johan Hendrik Hoffmeister's portrait of Heer Le Clercq. Lithography, a 19th-century printmaking technique, allowed for the wider distribution of images and ideas, contributing to new levels of cultural exchange. In this era of shifting social structures, the portrait captures a tension between tradition and modernity. Le Clercq is depicted with a certain formality, seated with a book, a symbol of intellect and status. His attire is conventional, yet there is a softness in his gaze, a hint of vulnerability that defies the stoic masculinity often portrayed in historical portraiture. Hoffmeister, working in a time of evolving artistic and social norms, captures more than just a likeness, but the emotional and cultural complexities of a changing world.