Portret van Christopher von Tiefenbach 1593 - 1598

This is Johann Sadeler's engraving of Christopher von Tiefenbach, made around 1600. It’s the intense interplay of light and shadow, achieved through meticulous lines, that first strikes the eye. Consider the lines of text which form an oval; this encloses the curves of Tiefenbach's face, the hard lines of his armor, and the soft curves of his moustache. Here we see a world caught between the old certainties of feudal power and a new world of more fluid signs. Sadeler's use of line and form creates a visual language that speaks to the subject’s identity, status, and historical context. Look at the armour, a symbol of power and authority, yet it is adorned with delicate patterns, suggesting a tension between the functional and the decorative. The contrast between light and shadow is not merely aesthetic; it’s a play of presence and absence, echoing the transient nature of power and fame. The clean, precise engraving technique elevates the subject, but also subtly questions the stability of representation itself.