Portret van Rafaël 1828 - 1871

This is Christian Hoffmeister’s “Portret van Rafaël”, an engraving on paper from the 19th century, now in the Rijksmuseum. The portrait presents a square image of Raphael, set against the larger, aged rectangular paper. The contrast between the clean lines of the engraved portrait and the mottled texture of the paper creates a tension between the subject and its presentation. The varying tones, from the depth of the dark hat and robe to the subtleties in Raphael’s face, are not merely representational, but structural. Hoffmeister uses the semiotic system of portraiture to engage with the established meanings of the Renaissance. However, the structure of the engraving, its lines and the play of light, can be understood as a commentary on the artist's role. Hoffmeister’s engraving invites us to reconsider not just the image of Raphael, but the act of artistic reproduction itself.