Silhouetportret van C. Ullmann 1809 - 1848

Pieter Barbiers IV created this silhouette portrait of C. Ullmann using cut paper. The stark contrast between the black silhouette and the light background immediately draws the eye, creating a play of positive and negative space that defines the subject. Notice how the smooth, unbroken line traces the contours of Ullmann’s profile, distilling his essence into a pure, graphic form. The silhouette, as a medium, inherently flattens and abstracts, reducing the individual to a set of essential shapes. This process of reduction invites us to consider the nature of representation itself, questioning how much information is needed to convey identity. The formal constraints of the silhouette—its dependence on outline and shadow—highlight the constructed nature of portraiture. The silhouette, as a sign, becomes a powerful tool for both recognition and abstraction.