Portret van Pierre-Joseph Proudhon 1842 - 1887

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this portrait of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon as a lithograph. Proudhon, a French socialist, economist, and philosopher, significantly shaped socialist and anarchist thought in the 19th century. In this period of rising social consciousness, lithography emerged as a powerful tool, enabling the broader dissemination of images and ideas. Last's portrait offers us a glimpse into the visual culture that fueled these movements. The portrait shows Proudhon in his bourgeois respectability, seated at a desk and holding papers. It reflects the complex interplay between intellectual radicalism and social identity. The softness of the lithographic medium lends a certain intimacy to the portrait, inviting viewers into Proudhon's intellectual world while subtly questioning traditional representations of revolutionary figures. This work serves as a reminder of how art can embody the fusion of personal identity and political conviction.