Portret van Johann Andreas Schmidhammer 1765 - 1836

Here is the audio guide script: This is a portrait of Johann Andreas Schmidhammer by Christoph-Wilhelm Bock. Note the stark contrast of light and shadow achieved through precise engraving on this small print. The subject is encased in a rounded frame, typical of portraiture of the time. The composition directs our gaze immediately to Schmidhammer's profile, sharply rendered with clear lines. The artist uses hatching and cross-hatching techniques to model the form, creating depth and volume. Schmidhammer’s wig and attire, symbols of status, are meticulously detailed, reflecting the subject’s professional standing as a ‘mercator’ and member of the Drawing Academy in Nuremberg. Consider how the artist used line and form to not only capture a likeness but also to convey social information. The meticulous rendering and formal arrangement speak to Enlightenment ideals, where reason and order were reflected in art as much as in society.