Portret van August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck before 1876

This is Mulnier’s portrait of August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck. It places a photographic portrait within a lithographic scene of shepherds with their flock. Schenck was known for his poignant depictions of sheep, often laden with emotional weight. Considering the cultural and historical context, sheep have been a symbol throughout the art of sacrifice, purity, and subservience. Juxtaposed with Schenck's portrait, we see an intersection of human identity with animal symbolism. The artist uses the sheep as a commentary on pastoral life and perhaps the human condition, suggesting a dialogue about innocence, vulnerability, and the herding dynamics within society. The lithographic depiction of the shepherds perhaps hints at an imagined, romanticized view of the working class, while Schenck’s portrait brings us back to the individual. This artwork prompts us to consider the ways in which identity is constructed through both personal expression and symbolic representation.