Portret van Johann Friedrich Winckler 1713

Editor: Here we have the "Portret van Johann Friedrich Winckler," created in 1713 by Martin Bernigeroth. It's an engraving, so primarily line work, and has this fascinating oval composition. There’s a stillness to it that’s striking. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Formally, I am drawn to the artist's manipulation of line and the resulting tonal range achieved in this print. Note how the density and direction of the engraved lines meticulously sculpt the subject’s face, suggesting volume and texture. Do you see how the artist creates depth simply by varying the marks on the page? Editor: Yes, especially in the folds of the ruffled collar. But I also see this interesting tension between the flatness of the engraving and the three-dimensionality they're trying to create. Is that deliberate, do you think? Curator: The flattening effect is, I think, inherent to the medium itself. Bernigeroth doesn’t entirely conceal this, rather he utilizes the characteristics of engraving. Notice, for instance, the strategic placement of hatching lines to construct spatial depth while simultaneously acknowledging the two-dimensionality of the picture plane. How does this affect your reading of the image? Editor: It's almost like the flatness emphasizes the artifice of portraiture itself, reminding us that this is a constructed image. It almost turns it into a study of lines and texture, more than a true representation of an individual. Curator: Precisely. This work functions as a signifier – a system of carefully constructed lines and forms which produce meaning. Consider the lines surrounding the face—they point inward and call more attention to it, underscoring how portraiture captures something of an individual’s identity through strategic representation. Editor: I see. The art isn't necessarily about capturing an exact likeness, but using artistic means to construct meaning and ideas about the subject through these carefully chosen details of line, tone and texture. Curator: Exactly. And in doing so, we reveal the artist’s hand in shaping how we understand the subject and how closely looking reveals their careful method.