Portret van de hoogleraar Carel Johannes Matthes 1830 - 1886

Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter created this portrait of Carel Johannes Matthes, using lithography, a printmaking process that allows for detailed tonal variations. The composition, which shows the professor from the chest up, presents a study in contrasts. Note how the stark white background throws the darker tones of Matthes's suit into sharp relief, creating an immediate visual hierarchy. The artist's precise use of line and shading models the form of Matthes's face, capturing a sense of depth and volume within the two-dimensional space. The varying textures, from the smoothness of his skin to the patterned fabric of his bow tie, add complexity to the surface. In the semiotic sense, the portrait also functions as a signifier of social status and intellectual authority. Consider how the formal attire and the deliberate pose communicate specific cultural values of the time, reflecting the subject's position within the academic establishment. The artwork invites us to consider the formal elements, and how these choices underpin broader cultural narratives.