Portret van Franz Volkmar Reinhard 1779 - 1829

This is Carl Hermann Pfeiffer's print of Franz Volkmar Reinhard. Encapsulated within an oval frame, the portrait employs a monochromatic palette to focus our attention on form and line. Notice how the gentle gradations of tone model Reinhard's face, giving it volume and presence. The subject's gaze, directed slightly off-center, adds dynamism to the composition. Structurally, the print adheres to established conventions of portraiture, yet it also subtly destabilizes them. The starkness of the presentation challenges notions of idealization, instead emphasizing the sitter's individual character through meticulous detail. Pfeiffer's technique underscores the print's materiality as both an object of aesthetic contemplation and a vehicle for communication. It invites us to consider how representation shapes our understanding of identity and historical context.