Portret van een onbekende bebaarde man 1880 - 1911

This is Willem Lamorinière's monochrome portrait of an unknown bearded man, made using etching techniques. The composition is immediately striking for its reliance on tonal contrast and texture. The artist uses dense, closely-knit lines to build up the dark areas of the background and the man's coat, creating a sense of depth and volume through shadow. This is juxtaposed with the lighter, smoother textures of the face and beard, achieved through finer, more delicate lines, bringing them into sharp relief. The subject's gaze, directed slightly upwards, adds a contemplative quality to the image. Lamorinière masterfully uses the etching medium to create a study in contrasts, not just in light and dark, but in texture and form, inviting us to consider the relationship between the visible and the suggested, the defined and the implied. The very act of observing this print becomes a dialogue between what is explicitly shown and what remains elusive.