Portret van Jean Pierre Cornets de Groot van Kraaijenburg c. 1853 - 1883

This is Johan Hendrik Hoffmeister's portrait of Jean Pierre Cornets de Groot van Kraaijenburg. The lithograph presents a fascinating study in form and structure. At first glance, the figure's attire, rich with detailed embroidery, draws the eye. Notice how Hoffmeister employs a restricted palette, relying on tonal variations to define shape and texture. The subject's posture and the chair's lines create a compositional balance; observe how the artist uses linear elements to guide the viewer's gaze. This strategic arrangement echoes the subject’s societal position and reflects the values of order in nineteenth-century portraiture. The work also subtly destabilizes notions of representation. The lithographic technique, with its inherent capacity for replication, introduces a tension between the unique presence of the individual and the reproducible nature of the image. Hoffmeister's lithograph is not merely a likeness but a meditation on identity, class, and the means by which we create and disseminate images.