Portret van Antoine Wiertz 1842 - 1887

This is Hendrik Last's rendering of Antoine Wiertz, made using etching and drypoint. Notice the figure's stark presence, achieved through the artist's calculated arrangement of light and shadow. Last’s use of line, particularly in the subject's clothing, delineates form and texture, lending a tactile quality to the print. Wiertz's pose, with an open gesture, is carefully constructed. The interplay between the solid, grounded figure and the ghostly face at the back constructs a dialogue, inviting the viewer to question the nature of representation and existence. Last uses a semiotic system of signs to decode and challenge fixed meanings. It speaks not only to the individual but also to the broader cultural and philosophical inquiries of the time. Ultimately, it is this formal quality of dialogue in the work that resonates beyond its immediate subject. The print encourages ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation.