Portret van Paul Verlaine before 1892

Philip Zilcken created this portrait of Paul Verlaine using etching, a printmaking technique involving acid, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Verlaine, a leading figure in the Symbolist movement, lived a life marked by both literary genius and personal turmoil. This portrait captures Verlaine in profile, revealing the heavy brow and beard that frame a face etched with experience. There is a vulnerability present, challenging the traditional, idealized representations of literary figures. Verlaine, who was known for his homoeroticism, and his troubled relationship with poet Arthur Rimbaud, lived a life that pushed against the conventions of his time. Zilcken’s etching immortalizes Verlaine not as a flawless icon, but as a complex human being. The portrait offers us a moment to reflect on the multifaceted nature of identity, and the courage required to live authentically.