Portret van Johann Heinrich Hadewig 1726

This is Johann Benjamin Brühl’s portrait of Johann Heinrich Hadewig, etched on paper in the 18th century. The composition is divided between the earthly and the divine, creating a dialogue between Hadewig’s grounded presence and the ethereal realm above. Brühl uses line and texture to differentiate these spheres. The dense hatching that defines Hadewig and his book contrasts with the lighter touch used for the clouds and angelic figures. This contrast isn’t just aesthetic; it directs our reading of the portrait. Hadewig, through his gesture and the symbolic book, mediates between the earthly and the divine, an idea emphasized by the sharp, didactic index fingers within the composition, drawing our eyes to specific points of meaning. Ultimately, Brühl’s formal decisions transform a simple portrait into a complex statement about faith, knowledge, and the role of the individual in interpreting divine will. The dialogue between the tangible and the symbolic invites viewers into a contemplation of their own relationship with these themes.