MÄNNLICHER CHARAKTERKOPF 

Eduard von Gebhardt made this character study in oil paint, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Oil paint has a particular capacity to capture the sheen of skin and fabric, and it’s easy to see the appeal for a portraitist like Gebhardt. Notice how he lays on the paint thickly, in short strokes that catch the light. It’s a loose, expressive technique, almost a sketch. Yet, the cumulative effect is one of dignified realism. The character’s fur coat and ruffled collar give us clues as to his social position. Gebhardt is showing us the outward trappings of wealth, while also giving us what he likely considered a glimpse into the man’s inner character. The question now is, do you see those details as a sign of class privilege, or as evidence of a singular, noteworthy individual? The answer may depend on your own experience of labor, social class, and the whole notion of “character.”