Portret van Thomas Guthrie before 1867

Contained within the aged pages of this book is a diminutive portrait of Thomas Guthrie. Its small size and the coarse materiality of the paper ground it within a historical and tactile experience. The portrait itself is a study in contrasts. The subject’s face is rendered with subtle gradations of light and shadow, creating a sense of depth that defies its dimensions. This is juxtaposed with the flat, neutral background, which serves to isolate and foreground Guthrie's likeness. The artist employs a restricted palette, dominated by sepia tones, which speaks to the sobriety and gravity associated with portraiture of the time. Here, form becomes a carrier of meaning, reflecting a broader cultural emphasis on character and intellect. The portrait invites us to consider the relationship between the individual and the printed word, the public and the private. As such, the materiality of the book and the portrait's formal qualities converge to create a unique semiotic object.