Man met hoed met opgeslagen rand 1771 - 1774

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this piece, “Man met hoed met opgeslagen rand,” using etching. A single figure dominates the composition, filling the frame with an intense focus on texture and line. Notice how the etching technique creates a dense network of marks that define the man's features. The interplay between light and shadow models the form, giving a sculptural quality to the face and hat. The hat itself, with its unusual shape and prominent button-like feature, adds a layer of intrigue, while the background is a hatched space. Tiepolo's masterful handling of line and texture invites us to consider how the work destabilizes conventional portraiture. The man's identity is secondary to the formal elements at play. The network of lines challenges fixed meanings, suggesting a more fluid understanding of form and representation. This etching asks us to interpret its visual language and how it engages with ideas of representation and perception.