Portret van Friedrich Kaltschmied op 71-jarige leeftijd 1713

This is Johann Oertl's "Portret van Friedrich Kaltschmied op 71-jarige leeftijd," made using etching. The portrait is dominated by the subject's elaborate wig, which cascades around his face and shoulders, framing him within an oval border. This formal structure—the oval within a rectangle—creates a sense of enclosure and focus. Oertl uses line and texture to draw attention to the man’s face, with its asymmetrical features and direct gaze. The lower portion of the print shifts to symbolic elements: heraldic shields and inscribed texts. These elements suggest the sitter's status and intellectual achievements. This juxtaposition of portraiture and heraldic symbolism creates a structured narrative about identity and legacy. Note how the calculated arrangement of forms and symbols asks us to consider how meaning is constructed through visual and textual codes. The print’s complex arrangement reflects a broader philosophical interest in how structures of power and knowledge are visually communicated.