Portret van Heinrich Scharbau op 68-jarige leeftijd 1756

Editor: This is a fascinating portrait of Heinrich Scharbau at the age of 68, created in 1756 by Christian Fritzsch. It’s an engraving on paper, currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. The level of detail is remarkable! I'm immediately struck by the contrast between the darkness of his robe and the almost aggressively white ruff. What grabs you when you look at this, and how do you interpret it? Curator: Oh, the starkness of that ruff isn’t an accident! It’s practically a halo, isn't it? Visually shouting about piety. And look at the hand resting on his chest – a gesture of sincerity, absolutely staged but so telling. Fritzsch has captured a very particular type here: the scholarly clergyman, proud, maybe a touch self-satisfied, completely a man of his time. I wonder, do you get the feeling he is welcoming or aloof? Editor: Aloof, definitely. Maybe even a little…judgemental? Like he’s peering right through me. Curator: Precisely! And isn't it brilliant how Fritzsch achieves that with just lines and shading? Notice the placement of the book, just within reach. Not showy, but there. It screams intellect. What does the flower symbolize do you think? Perhaps knowledge or mortality? Or just good taste? Editor: I hadn’t considered the flower, but now I see it adds to the scene's gravity, perhaps mortality. He seems like he wants to project an image of piety, authority and wisdom. The trappings are all there! Curator: Exactly! This piece is about controlled presentation as much as anything else. Thank you for pointing that out to me, actually. Editor: Thank you! This has opened up my understanding of the work and 18th century portraiture.