Portret van een onbekende man 1824

This is "Portret van een onbekende man," by Monogrammist ENW, and it was created using etching. The gaze of this unknown man is haunting, isn’t it? There's a deep sense of self-possession mixed with what seems like resignation. We don't know who he is or when he lived, and it seems likely that the artist was also detached from his subject, given the title. At the time this etching was made, portraits were most often reserved for nobility or those with wealth; but this is neither a nobleman nor a particularly wealthy-looking man. The lack of a name only underscores the ordinary nature of the sitter, and asks us to reflect on who gets remembered and why. It stands as a quiet testament to the lives of everyday people who are so often lost in the grand narratives of history. This etching quietly insists on the value and dignity inherent in every human life.