Portret van de kunstenaar Johannes Janson, tekenend c. 1769 - 1787

This is Louis Bernard Coclers' etching of Johannes Janson, made sometime in the late 18th century. The print presents Janson in medias res, caught in the act of drawing. Coclers uses a network of fine lines to define form and space, creating a textured surface that invites close inspection. The composition guides our eyes in a circular motion, from Janson's gaze to his drawing hand, then upwards again, establishing a closed circuit of artistic creation. The etching technique itself—a process of incising lines into a metal plate—mirrors Janson's own practice of drawing, creating a reflexive commentary on the nature of artistic representation. Consider how the very act of depicting Janson drawing serves to question the boundaries between artist, subject, and medium. Coclers presents not just a portrait, but a meditation on the act of creation itself. Through the formal qualities of line, composition, and process, this etching encourages us to reflect on art's ability to represent and re-present itself.