Silhouetportret van Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck 1781 - 1799

This is a silhouette portrait of Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck, created anonymously with an unknown medium. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, silhouette portraits like this one gained popularity as a quick and affordable way to capture a person’s likeness. Given Schimmelpenninck’s political prominence as a Dutch statesman during a period of significant upheaval in Europe, this silhouette offers a glimpse into the visual culture of the time. These portraits often served as symbols of status and remembrance, circulating within social and political networks. This silhouette reflects the intersection of political identity, personal representation, and artistic practice in a revolutionary era. The tradition of silhouette portraits is also evocative. Think about what it means to capture someone’s likeness in such a minimal form, reducing a person to their outline.