Portret van een onbekend familielid van Friedrich Fleischmann 1801 - 1834

This small print is a portrait of an unknown family member of Friedrich Fleischmann, made using etching. The composition is stark, dominated by a circular frame which gives focus to the sitter's face. The lines are finely etched, the face shaded to give the impression of depth, but not in a naturalistic way. Fleischmann uses tonal contrasts to model the sitter's features, creating an interplay of light and shadow, almost flattening the face. This effect, along with the framing, draws attention to the surface of the print itself, reminding us of the artifice involved in portraiture. The text surrounding the portrait adds another layer, framing it with words and creating a visual and textual structure. It emphasizes the print's status as a constructed object, drawing attention to the relationship between representation, language, and artistic expression. The artist seems less interested in capturing a likeness than in exploring representation as a system of signs and cultural codes.