Portret van Jacob van der Schuere, schoolmeester en wiskundige 1643

Salomon Savery created this portrait of Jacob van der Schuere in 1643 using etching. The oval composition, tightly framing the subject, draws us into the meticulous detail of Savery's lines, which model the face and beard. The texture, achieved through varied hatching and cross-hatching, captures light and shadow, giving depth to the face and beard. The inscription encircling the portrait is more than just a label; it is integral to the image’s structure. The words "DOORSIET DEN GRONDT" suggest a penetrating intellect, aligning with Van der Schuere's professions as schoolmaster and mathematician. Savery uses the semiotic power of the inscription to encode qualities of intellect and age, enriching our understanding of the sitter. Consider how Savery, through the formal qualities of line, texture, and composition, constructs an image that speaks not only to the individual's likeness but also to his intellectual pursuits and societal role. Art, in this sense, becomes a complex interplay of form and meaning.