Portret van burgemeester Pieter Mogge 1829 - 1880

Theodorus Wilhelmus den Doop created this portrait of Pieter Mogge, the mayor of the small Dutch town of Benesse. It is rendered in the style of an etching. We see Mogge seated, holding a quill in one hand and a book inscribed with "Corpus Juris" in the other. This alludes to a body of law, and speaks to Mogge's social standing. In his official garb, the mayor appears as an embodiment of civic duty. Yet, there's an undeniable intimacy here. The soft lighting, the glimpse into what might be his private study, and the slightly melancholic expression all suggest a man of contemplation and perhaps even introspection. This was a time of great upheaval in Europe as traditional structures of power were being questioned. How did Mogge reconcile his role as a leader with the changing world around him? The portrait invites us to consider the weight of responsibility and the inner lives of those who hold power, then and now.