Portret van Johann Conrad Löhe 1769

This is Georg Christoph Walwert's "Portret van Johann Conrad Löhe," an etching made in 1769. Immediately striking is the oval frame, a structure that both confines and elevates the portrait. Walwert masterfully uses hatching and cross-hatching to define form. The subject's face is rendered with subtle gradations, contrasting with the stark white wig and collar. Note how the light catches the forehead and cheek, creating a sense of volume. The dark coat provides a grounding element, its materiality suggested through varied line work. This contrast is not merely decorative. It directs our gaze, establishing a visual hierarchy that privileges the face as the locus of identity. The portrait is more than a likeness, but a study in the semiotics of power. Each element – the formal attire, the carefully composed expression – contributes to a constructed image of authority and intellect.