Portret van Gabriel Lukas Woltersdorf 1721 - 1771

This is Johann David Schleuen's portrait of Gabriel Lukas Woltersdorf. The print, made with an etching technique, presents a study in contrasts, primarily achieved through line and form. Woltersdorf is framed within an ornate, decorative window, but his figure is rendered with a more subdued realism. The sharp, precise lines defining the frame contrast with the softer, more subtle gradations used to depict Woltersdorf's face and clothing. The composition is divided horizontally into three distinct zones: the inscribed base, the figure of Woltersdorf, and the decorative frame. The subject's gaze meets the viewer's, creating a direct and personal connection that invites contemplation on the role of the individual versus the artifice of presentation. Schleuen masterfully employs linear perspective, directing the viewer's eye towards the focal point: Woltersdorf's face and the book he holds, symbols of knowledge and faith. The etching technique not only captures the texture of the surfaces but also engages with broader questions about representation, identity, and the gaze. Art doesn't have fixed meaning, but is always open for new ideas.