Portret van Friedrich Albert Carl Gren 1804

This is Friedrich Wilhelm Nettling’s "Portret van Friedrich Albert Carl Gren", an early 19th-century print on paper. The composition presents a study in contrasts, sharply dividing the visual field. The portrait, neatly confined within an oval, presents a profile of Gren. Here, Nettling's use of line and shadow creates depth, defining Gren's features with precision, while the background remains unmarked. The portrait is not merely a likeness but an exercise in form; the perfect oval starkly contrasts with the rough edges of the paper. This juxtaposition, combined with the inscription below the image, prompts us to question the nature of representation itself. The frame acts as a signifier, drawing attention to what is included and implicitly excluding what is not. The print, in its austerity, functions as both an aesthetic object and a statement about the act of observation and interpretation.