Portret van Hendrich Hahn 1668

"Portret van Hendrich Hahn," a 1668 etching by P. Mertens, is a portrait of the subject within a richly decorated oval frame, framed by two allegorical figures, one female, one male. The image is in monochrome, the lines of the etching giving a sense of depth and shadow. This type of engraved portrait was popular in the 17th century and would have been commissioned as a way for a prominent person to showcase their status and identity. The Latin inscription surrounding the portrait suggests that Hahn was a scholar or intellectual, a common subject for this type of portraiture.