Officier der Noordbr. Jagers 1835 - 1850

Albertus Verhoesen rendered this image of an officer of the Noordbrabant Jagers with watercolor and pencil. The composition centers on a standing officer, rendered with a keen attention to the uniform's detail. Consider how Verhoesen's approach reflects a specific moment in the formal language of portraiture. The officer's posture, dress, and accoutrements are presented with a desire for clarity. Yet, this clarity does more than document; it suggests a social structure. The semiotics of dress—the cut of the coat, the color of the sash, the gleam of the buttons—all signify rank, affiliation, and identity within a strict hierarchy. The scale of the work—intimate, almost miniature—invites close inspection. Yet, this closeness does not reveal the sitter's personal depth but shows a visual system designed to communicate societal roles. The image functions as a sign, pointing beyond itself to the broader structures of military and social organization.