De dwerg Liendl Schnekenfist, ca. 1710 1705 - 1715

Around 1710, Martin Engelbrecht created this print, "De dwerg Liendl Schnekenfist". The eye is immediately drawn to the central figure of the dwarf, his form defined by a palette of earthy reds, yellows, and blacks, set against a vast, pale ground. The application of color is not merely decorative; it serves to delineate shape and texture, creating a sense of depth on a flat surface. Engelbrecht plays with proportion and scale, distorting the figure to challenge traditional notions of beauty and order. The dwarf's oversized hat and exaggerated features can be interpreted through a structuralist lens as a disruption of established social and aesthetic norms. Consider the line, the etching which defines the dwarf's form, and how it contrasts with the looser, more painterly application of color in the background. Engelbrecht's approach invites us to deconstruct the image, considering not only what is represented, but also how the act of representation itself shapes meaning.