Portretmedaillon in marmer van Anna Maria Mittscherlich 1797

This is a marble portrait medallion of Anna Maria Mittscherlich by Christoffel Mittscherlich. The stark white of the marble against the dark backing immediately draws us to the image of the child. Let’s consider the form. The oval frame, richly decorated with gold leaf, encloses a rectangular marble relief. Within this, the artist has sculpted a young girl, her soft features and delicate hands rendered with remarkable detail. Note how the relief isn't merely representational but seems to emerge organically from the marble itself. The choice of marble as a medium is significant. Its cool, smooth texture and capacity to reflect light give the portrait an ethereal quality. The material becomes inextricably linked with the subject; the marble suggests purity, innocence, and the enduring nature of memory. This fusion of form and material elevates the work beyond a mere depiction. It is a powerful statement about representation, memory, and the enduring human spirit.