Professor Ole Borch 1690 - 1696

Hubert Schaten's engraving of Professor Ole Borch is rich with the visual language of the late 17th century. Borch is framed within an oval, a shape that softens the rigid geometry of the rectangular page, and the text surrounding the oval asserts the man's titles. Consider the composition: Borch's figure dominates, his elaborate wig a cascade of curls that almost escapes the frame, drawing our eye to his face. The lines here are meticulously etched, building volume and texture through careful gradations of light and shadow. Schaten uses the semiotic system to represent Borch as a man of substance and intellect. The symmetry of the composition lends a sense of order, yet the baroque exuberance of the wig and the ornate details hint at a world of complexity and nuance. This piece exemplifies how formal elements not only depict but also construct meaning within a specific cultural and intellectual milieu.