C. M. Bellman 1880

Carl Poulsen created this engraving of C. M. Bellman sometime between 1855 and 1935. Poulsen, working in a time of evolving social structures, captures Bellman, who lived from 1740 to 1795, an era marked by rigid class distinctions. The portrait presents Bellman, with his powdered wig and frilled lace, as a man of privilege. Yet, his thoughtful pose and direct gaze hint at the shifting values of the Enlightenment, a period that saw a rising interest in individualism. What tensions do we see within this image? Is it a celebration of status or an acknowledgment of a changing world? Bellman's expression seems to reflect the weight of societal expectations as well as a burgeoning sense of personal identity. Poulsen offers us more than just a likeness; he delivers a meditation on identity and the historical forces that shape it.