Portret van een onbekende oude man met bril 1864

Willem Linnig the Younger created this etching of an unknown old man with glasses. The image resonates with the 19th-century Dutch interest in portraiture. Yet, who was this man? And why was he deemed worthy of portrayal? Linnig made this print during a time of shifting social structures. The rise of the middle class meant that portraits were no longer exclusively reserved for the elite. This etching could be seen as part of a broader movement towards democratizing representation, capturing the visages of everyday people. The man’s anonymity also piques our curiosity – his identity remains a mystery. The image feels intimate, maybe melancholic. The meticulous etching technique captures the fine details of his face. As you look at the piece, consider the narratives and histories that might be embedded in the man's gaze. What stories might he tell about labor, family, and aging in 19th-century Netherlands?