Vater des Künstlers 

Adolf Dietrich rendered this portrait of his father with oil on canvas, capturing a solemn figure against a stark, dark background. The waistcoat, a symbol of bourgeois respectability and order, is buttoned, yet the top button is undone, suggesting a relaxation of formality. This motif echoes across centuries. Compare this image with Renaissance portraits of merchants and nobles; the waistcoat, while different in cut, serves a similar function, signaling status and civic duty. The slight asymmetry in the father's features, coupled with the direct gaze, hints at a life lived. This subtle imperfection, the "pathos formula," reminds us of the inherent vulnerability of the human condition. It elicits a deep, almost subconscious recognition of our shared mortality. The waistcoat motif, resurfacing in various forms through history, is a testament to the enduring human desire for order, dignity, and self-presentation.