Portret van een jongetje met veer op zijn muts c. 1829 - 1834

Lambertus Antonius Claessens created this small portrait of a boy with a feathered hat, using engraving techniques. The oval composition immediately draws your eye to the boy's face, framed by the dark background. The fine lines and subtle gradations of light and shadow create a textured surface, bringing the figure to life. Claessens' strategic use of line is critical. Notice the hatching and cross-hatching that define the forms, building depth and volume. The formal structure, combined with the boy's direct gaze, prompts questions about representation and identity. How does Claessens use the formal constraints of engraving to convey character and social status? What cultural codes are embedded in his clothing and presentation? Consider how the artist plays with the tension between the ornamental and the real, the surface and depth, inviting us to reflect on the cultural and artistic conventions of portraiture.