Højtstående dekoreret officer (3 ordener) 1829

Gerhard Ludvig Lahde created this drawing of a highly decorated officer, with three orders, using pen and brown ink and grey wash on paper. The officer is framed within an oval, creating a formal and structured composition. Lahde uses line and subtle washes to define form and texture, notice the detail in the rendering of the officer's uniform and the contrast with the softer treatment of his face and hair. The meticulous rendering of the medals, stars and epaulettes signifies rank and status. Lahde’s choice of medium and technique invites us to consider the relationship between representation and the construction of identity in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The emphasis on detail and the structured composition serve to formalize and elevate the sitter. This drawing is not just a likeness, but a carefully constructed image of power and authority. Notice how the oval frame encloses and contains the officer, presenting him as an object of admiration, while the grid shows the structure on which the drawing is based.