Forarbejde til stikket: Frederik d. Store rider hjem efter en revy ved Potsdam 1788

J.F. Clemens made this preparatory drawing for an engraving, sometime between 1748 and 1831. It is rendered in pencil on paper. The composition features studies of a figure, presumably Frederick the Great. Linear precision defines the forms, yet there's an incompleteness, a refusal to settle into a fixed representation. We observe various attempts at capturing the ruler’s likeness, each slightly different, exploring nuances of expression and physiognomy. This work destabilizes traditional notions of portraiture. Clemens isn't presenting a singular, idealized image, but rather a series of provisional sketches. The materiality of the pencil strokes, visible and unblended, emphasizes the process of creation. The composition is sparse and lacks a background. It's an unfinished quality that invites reflection on the very nature of representation and the semiotic construction of identity. The drawing thus becomes a space where meaning is not fixed, but rather emerges through the dynamic interplay of lines, forms, and the viewer's interpretation.