Peder Griffenfeld 1703 - 1757

This is Johann Christoph Sysang’s portrait of Peder Griffenfeld, rendered in a monochrome of finely etched lines. The composition immediately directs our gaze to Griffenfeld’s face, framed by a dark, fur-lined coat and cascading hair. Sysang uses the oval frame to compress the figure, creating a sense of contained power that is both regal and slightly unsettling. The artist carefully balances the textures, contrasting the smoothness of Griffenfeld's face with the intricate patterns of the surrounding fabrics and ornamentation. The text at the bottom provides an anchor, grounding the image in a structured and legible reality. The interplay between the organic and the geometric highlights the tensions of the period. Ultimately, this portrait serves not just as a record, but as a crafted statement of power and identity. It invites us to look beneath the surface and decode the visual cues of status and authority embedded within its formal structure.