Portret van de staatsman en historicus Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer 1826 - 1886

This is Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter's portrait of the statesman and historian Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer, created as a print. The portrait presents us with a study in tonal contrasts achieved through intricate linear work. The gradations of light and shadow articulate the subject’s form, creating an engaging tension between the textured details of his attire and the smooth planes of his face. The artist’s skilled use of hatching and cross-hatching not only models form but also suggests texture, from the wool of the coat to the crispness of the collar. Consider how the composition situates Groen van Prinsterer: his gaze, directed slightly off-center, lends the image a dynamic quality, as if caught in a moment of thought. This carefully constructed visual field invites us to contemplate the interplay between public image and private reflection. The inscription below, rendered in flowing script, acts as a final structuring element, grounding the image in a specific identity.