Portret van Adolph Magnus von Hoym 1687 - 1743

This is Johann Georg Mentzel's "Portret van Adolph Magnus von Hoym," created around the late 17th to early 18th century. It's a small yet commanding print where the subject's presence is intensified through contrasting textures and forms. The visual interplay begins with Hoym's extravagant wig—a cloud of tight curls that frame his face and contrast with the rigid lines of his armor. Mentzel masterfully uses hatching to define the contours of the armor, lending a sense of volume, while softer, more diffuse lines render the luxurious fabric draped behind him. The composition divides the figure in a play between organic and geometric form, the softness of the robe against the hard lines of his military garments. This portrait operates as a signifier of power, each carefully rendered detail serves to assert Hoym's status and authority. The formal elements converge to produce not just an image of a man, but an emblem of his societal role, inviting us to decode the visual language of status and representation in this era.