Portret van Emanuel Swedenborg after 1772

This is Johan Fredrik Martin's portrait of Emanuel Swedenborg. It's a delicate rendering using lines and shades on paper. The composition, contained within an oval, focuses intently on Swedenborg's visage, rendered in careful detail. Martin uses contrasting shades to model the face and hair, which gives the portrait a sense of depth and presence. Notice how the engraver’s lines create texture, particularly in the wig, which has a somewhat flamboyant air. This emphasis on texture and form reflects the engraver's intent to capture not just likeness, but also the material qualities of appearance. It's interesting how the artist manages to convey a sense of personality through formal means. The controlled lines and shading create a balance between representation and abstraction. The work invites us to consider the relationship between the subject and the artistic techniques used to depict him, a dance between appearance and essence.