Portret van Johannes Müller von Sylvelden 1818 - 1832

This undated portrait of Johannes Müller von Sylvelden was made by Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger. It's an engraving, a printmaking technique that was at the time of its making closely linked to the development of scientific illustration. The print medium allowed for relatively inexpensive replication of images, which served the rising educated middle class well. Bollinger was a German artist living in the Netherlands, so one wonders, what was the social network that put him in touch with his Dutch subject? Certainly, the fashions speak of a cosmopolitan, European culture of elegance. The print presents Müller in profile, set within an octagonal frame. The overall impression is of sober intelligence. The lack of color directs our focus towards the details of form and line. A historian might want to know more about who Müller was: what was his profession and social standing? That's where primary source documents such as letters, diaries, and institutional records become invaluable in reconstructing the context that gave this image meaning.