Portret van Emmanuel Rosseels 1876 - 1889

This is Willem Linnig the Younger’s rendering of ‘Portret van Emmanuel Rosseels,’ an etching with a tight composition. The subject emerges amidst dense botanical elements that press forward, creating a shallow pictorial space. Linnig’s graphic marks create an overall sense of textured surfaces and the density of both line and tone invite closer inspection. The directional lines both describe and evoke movement. Notice how the hatching emphasizes the volume and weight of Rosseel’s coat. The overall effect is one of vitality, emphasized by the foliage at the base of the image. What are we to make of Linnig’s choices in emphasizing particular forms and textures? This could be understood as part of a broader cultural interest in realism, yet here, Linnig’s formal decisions create a tension between surface and depth, representation and artifice.