Portret van Clarissa Strozzi 1771

Carl Wilhelm Weisbrod's engraving, "Portret van Clarissa Strozzi," employs delicate lines and contrasting textures to create a formal, yet intimate portrait. The composition is divided into thirds; the girl, a small dog and a pedestal on the left, and a plain wall on the right. Weisbrod orchestrates a subtle semiotic game through the image's structural elements. The young girl, positioned centrally, is contrasted with the pastoral background on the left and domestic interior to the right. Her gaze suggests a world beyond the pictorial space. The cherubic figures carved into the pedestal introduce a layer of classical reference, contrasting with the girl’s contemporary dress, complicating the relationships between surface and depth. The varying textures, achieved through fine, controlled lines, emphasize the material qualities of the scene. Ultimately, this print invites us to explore the complex interplay between representation and reality.