Portret van een oude man 1757

Jean Daullé created this print, *Portret van een oude man,* sometime before 1763. The eye is immediately drawn to the figure's elaborate ruff. It's a cascade of white, a visual explosion that contrasts sharply with the man’s dark jacket. Daullé masterfully employs the graphic techniques of hatching and stippling to render tone and texture. Look at how the density of the marks models the form of the face, giving it volume and depth, while also differentiating textures such as beard, skin, and fabric. The composition is classically structured. The figure is centrally placed, lending him a sense of stability. Yet there is a dynamic tension in the slight asymmetry of his gaze, which suggests a psychological complexity. The semiotic value of portraiture lies in its ability to convey status and character. This work invites us to consider the codes and conventions that informed its creation and reception and recognize the artist’s technical virtuosity. Each viewing offers an opportunity to reinterpret its visual language.