Portret van Karel Christiaan van Nassau-Weilburg c. 1787 - 1851

This is Willem van Senus's monochrome portrait of Karel Christiaan van Nassau-Weilburg, held at the Rijksmuseum. The texture created by the engraving process has a delicate, almost velvety quality, which softens the formal austerity typical of portraiture. The artist's strategic use of lines, hatching and stippling, defines the prince’s features and the contours of his clothing. This precise, linear quality is then juxtaposed with the softness of the oval frame, creating a visual hierarchy where the subject’s features dominate. The composition and the monochromatic color palette serve to strip away distractions and emphasize the underlying structure of the image, echoing the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and order. The portrait becomes a study in form, where the interplay of light, shadow, and line conveys not only likeness but also an intellectual framework. This reflects a desire to capture the essence of the sitter in an age defined by rapidly evolving social and philosophical structures.