Silhouetportret van Henricus Arnoldus Putters 1809 - 1848

Pieter Barbiers created this silhouette portrait of Henricus Arnoldus Putters using an unknown medium. The stark profile, devoid of color, is more than a mere likeness; it’s a study in the symbolism of absence and presence. Consider the silhouette as a symbolic representation of the individual. The figure is there, yet not there; present in outline, absent in detail. This relates to memento mori traditions found throughout history, as a reminder of mortality and a reflection on the transient nature of life. It has echoes of ancient funerary masks, where the face of the deceased is preserved, albeit in a stylized form, marking the boundary between life and death. The very act of cutting away—removing the background to reveal the form—suggests a psychological separation, a focus on the essential self. This form has evolved through history, reappearing not just in art, but also in our collective memory of loss, identity, and the shadow self that Jung spoke of. The silhouette, a timeless echo of who we are, and who we might become.