Portret van Domenichino 1818 - 1832

Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger created this stipple engraving portrait of Domenichino at an unknown date. The composition centres on Domenichino’s bust, framed within an octagonal border that subtly separates the figure from the white background. Bollinger’s approach to representing Domenichino involves careful attention to the texture and form of the face. The use of stippling—small dots and flicks—allows Bollinger to model the contours of Domenichino’s face and capture subtle gradations of light and shadow. The formal effect is one of gentle realism, where the artist emphasizes the play of light across the surface of the skin. Furthermore, Bollinger is inviting the viewer to consider how artistic identity is constructed and communicated through graphic representation. The technique of stipple engraving and the octagonal border function as visual codes that contribute to the portrait's cultural and aesthetic meaning. The portrait thus becomes an exercise in how the signs and structures of visual representation shape our understanding of the individual.