Portret van een onbekende man, mogelijk Johannes Pfenninger 1784 - 1850

This engraving, “Portret van een onbekende man, mogelijk Johannes Pfenninger,” was created by Franz Hegi. Hegi worked during a period where traditional class structures were being both reinforced and challenged. As such, portraiture became a subtle tool for asserting or negotiating one's social position. Consider the deliberate choice of profile view, a style often associated with classical antiquity and nobility, yet rendered here with a softness that hints at the sitter's humanity. Who was this man, and what were his aspirations? Does he represent the burgeoning bourgeoisie seeking to emulate aristocratic norms, or does he embody a new, more egalitarian ideal of masculine identity? The delicate lines and understated presentation invite a dialogue about identity, history, and representation.