Portret van Cornelis Schrijver 1858 - 1862

Frederik Hendrik Weissenbruch created this lithograph, "Portret van Cornelis Schrijver," a work that subtly plays with the conventions of portraiture. The composition, confined within an oval frame, draws immediate attention to the sitter's face and the cylindrical object he holds, likely a telescope or some scientific instrument. Weissenbruch masterfully uses light and shadow to sculpt the forms, giving a three-dimensionality to the figure. The texture of the clothing and hair is rendered with delicate precision, achieved through the lithographic process. There is an interesting dichotomy at play here, contrasting the softness of the lithographic medium with the rigid societal expectations of formal portraiture. The oval frame, traditionally a symbol of containment and order, contrasts with the sitter's slightly subversive gaze, which hints at a certain intellectual curiosity. Weissenbruch’s work, while seemingly conventional, subtly challenges the viewer to look beyond the surface, inviting a deeper reflection on the nature of representation and the individual within it.