Portret van Jozef Klemens, keurvorst en aartsbisschop van Keulen 1691 - 1735

This is Joseph Mörl’s “Portret van Jozef Klemens, keurvorst en aartsbisschop van Keulen,” an engraving with no known date. Immediately striking is the composition's structure: an oval portrait encased in a rectangular frame, a study in contrasting forms. The portrait's composition balances detailed rendering with symbolic representation. Note how Jozef Klemens is framed by the trappings of ecclesiastical power: the ornate robes, the cross, and the elaborate crest below. The artist uses line and texture to convey richness and authority. The detailed work in the fabrics suggests not just material wealth but also the weight of tradition. The oval within the rectangle creates a visual tension that questions the sitter's role and status. It is more than a mere likeness; it is a constructed image meant to convey power. The structure suggests a carefully ordered world, yet the portrait's subtle details hint at the complexities and contradictions within. Ultimately, the artwork leaves us questioning the relationship between representation and reality, and the interplay between power and image.