Portret van Johann Jakob Scheuchzer 1759 - 1815

This is Heinrich Pfenninger's "Portret van Johann Jakob Scheuchzer," a small print measuring 129 by 88 millimetres. The portrait is encased within an oval frame, set against a structured background of horizontal lines that creates a subtle yet assertive visual plane. Pfenninger masterfully uses line and texture to define the sitter's features and clothing, employing delicate hatching and stippling to model the face and wig. The lines are tight and controlled, demonstrating a refined technique suited to the depiction of scholarly precision. Semiotically, the portrait is a study in contrasts: the rigid lines of the background versus the soft, flowing contours of the wig and robe. This juxtaposition hints at the tension between the structured world of scientific thought, embodied by Scheuchzer, and the more fluid, personal characteristics of the individual. Ultimately, the print functions not just as a record of appearance but as an exploration of form, line and texture.