Silhouetportret van A. Schim van der Loeff 1808 - 1844

Carl Cristiaan Fuchs created this small silhouette portrait of A. Schim van der Loeff, using engraving techniques. The stark profile, devoid of color, evokes the ancient art of shadow play, a practice steeped in symbolism across cultures. The silhouette simplifies the individual to an outline, an essence. This reduction mirrors the memento mori tradition, reminding us of life's fleeting nature. Think of the funerary masks of ancient Egypt, or the profile portraits on Roman coins – each a trace left behind. Here, we have an echo of such practices, where the act of capturing a likeness transcends mere representation, tapping into our primal need to preserve memory. It’s a powerful, silent statement, resonating with our collective unconscious, a dance between presence and absence, reminding us of the shadows that define us.