Portret van Antoine François de Fourcroy 1819

Karl Traugott Riedel captured Antoine François de Fourcroy’s likeness in this print, a man of science framed in the geometry of his time. Observe the rigid octagon that contains Fourcroy; this shape, reminiscent of ancient portals, speaks to the era's fascination with order and reason. It is a motif we've seen echoed through centuries—from Renaissance architecture symbolizing divine balance to the strict boundaries of Neoclassical painting. Encapsulated, Fourcroy is presented as a figure of enlightenment, meticulously contained within the boundaries of knowledge. Yet, the human element—the slight asymmetry of his gaze, the almost imperceptible tension in his posture—suggests the inherent limitations of reason. The unconscious seeps through. It’s a timeless dance: the Apollonian drive for order versus the Dionysian surge of the irrational. Each era grapples with this dichotomy, reshaping old symbols, giving new form to the ancient struggle between control and chaos.