Vier verminkte mannen 1775 - 1840

"Vier verminkte mannen" (Four mutilated men) is an 18th-century etching by Ernst Ludwig Riepenhausen, a German artist known for his detailed and expressive portraits. This small etching depicts four men in various states of disfigurement, highlighting the artist's fascination with the human form and the effects of time and trauma. The intricate details and the use of chiaroscuro, the interplay of light and shadow, contribute to the dramatic and melancholic tone of the artwork. This print likely served as a study of human anatomy or as a reflection on the fragility of life.