Man met snor en muts met veren 1773

Johann Andreas Benjamin Nothnagel created this etching, “Man met snor en muts met veren” – Man with mustache and feathered cap – sometime in the 18th century. During this period, portraiture became increasingly popular as a means of expressing identity and status, particularly among the bourgeois class. In this image the man’s assertive gaze and the flamboyant feathered cap reflect both status and individual character. The man’s face bears the marks of time and experience and invites us to consider the stories and struggles that have shaped his identity. The choice of etching as a medium is interesting; its detailed lines allowed for the subtle capturing of texture and expression. As we observe this image, we are invited to contemplate the intersections of identity, representation, and social context in 18th-century art, while also considering our own interpretations of the man behind the mustache and feathered cap.