Kolonel der genie 1835 - 1850

Albertus Verhoesen rendered this delicately coloured print, *Kolonel der genie*, using lithography. The composition is dominated by the figure of the colonel, posed in a slightly elevated position. The eye is immediately drawn to the figure through the strong colours of his uniform and is contrasted against a muted background, which gives the figure a sculptural presence. The use of colour creates a symbolic language, where gold details denote status, and dark blue implies authority. In semiotic terms, the map he holds and the gesture he makes, together with his formal dress, function as signs communicating his expertise in strategy and engineering. But the composition of the figure is what interests me most. With its blend of formal and informal elements, it invites us to decode the language of power and representation.