Bildnis Heinrich Carl Alexander Pagenstecher 

Johann Heinrich Hasselhorst rendered this portrait of Heinrich Carl Alexander Pagenstecher in delicate pencil lines. The softness of the graphite suits the sitter, who appears in a moment of thoughtful repose. While pencil drawing might seem simple, it is rooted in both material science and social convention. The graphite itself, mined and processed, is a direct product of industrialization. And consider how Hasselhorst builds up tone and texture, coaxing depth from a single material applied to paper. The result is soft and subtle, almost photographic in its detail. In the 19th century, portraiture became increasingly accessible to the middle class. No longer reserved for the elite, images like this captured the likenesses of professionals, intellectuals, and civic leaders. Pencil, a relatively inexpensive and portable medium, facilitated this democratization of portraiture. Hasselhorst’s technique speaks to the changing landscape of art, where craft and industry intertwine to reflect a shifting social order.