Portret van Christiana Louise von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel 1717

This is Martin Bernigeroth’s portrait of Christiana Louise von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. The engraving presents a formal and structured composition, immediately drawing our attention to the interplay between line, shape, and texture. Bernigeroth has framed Christiana within an oval, which creates a sense of enclosure and focus. The precise lines and detailing in her attire, particularly the fur stole and the drapery, contrast with the softer rendering of her face and hair. These textural differences add depth and visual interest. The composition is divided into distinct zones: the portrait above and the inscription below. This division creates a hierarchy of information, typical of formal portraiture of the era. The linear precision and structural clarity of the engraving, as well as the way the artwork is organized, highlights the subject’s status and the values of order and representation. Notice how Bernigeroth uses line to define form and texture, turning a flat surface into a complex visual field. This emphasis on structure invites us to think about how the artist imposed order on the subject to convey particular meanings.