Portret van Otto Heinrich graaf van Schwarzenberg 1600 - 1604

This is Dominicus Custos’s portrait of Otto Heinrich, Count of Schwarzenberg, an engraving made sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The portrait, framed within an oval, captures the Count’s likeness with precise lines and meticulous detail. The stark contrast between light and shadow, achieved through a network of fine lines, gives volume to the Count’s face and clothing. We see an interplay between the Count’s solid, imposing figure and the delicate, almost lace-like quality of his ruffled collar. Custos uses the structural device of the oval to frame the Count, setting him apart and imbuing the image with a sense of classical order. The surrounding text, carefully integrated into the design, functions not just as a label but as a semiotic field, contributing to the subject's identity and status. The detailed rendering of textures, from the fur coat to the intricate patterns of the doublet, signifies wealth and social standing. Note, however, that the engraving's formal qualities reflect not just the Count's persona but also the cultural values and representational strategies of the period.