Buste van een oude man met baard 1640s

Samuel van Hoogstraten created this etching of an old, bearded man. The print presents a study in contrasts, where the dense hatching of lines coalesce to suggest the contours of a face etched by time. The artist’s structural employment of light and shadow shapes not only the figure’s worn visage but also the emotional weight it carries. The direction of the man's gaze away from the viewer and the stark, unadorned background invite contemplation. Hoogstraten uses the etched line to create a sense of depth, especially notable in the detailed rendering of the beard and hair, contrasted against the smoother textures of the skin. In this small work, the artist manages to encapsulate a profound sense of human experience, using the formal qualities of etching to convey an almost tangible sense of introspection. The print remains a powerful exercise in representing the human condition through the simple yet evocative language of line and form.