Self-Portrait c. 1814

Pieter Christoffel Wonder created this self-portrait etching, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, capturing himself in the act of writing. The pen, clutched in his hand, is more than just a tool. It is a symbol, a scepter of creation and intellectual prowess. Consider the gesture of writing itself, it echoes through the ages, from ancient scribes meticulously copying texts to Renaissance scholars penning groundbreaking treatises. The act of writing is an assertion of agency, a means of capturing and shaping the world around us. Observe how the image of the pen resurfaces through history, each time imbued with new significance. Yet, beneath these surface changes lies a deeper, more primal urge: the human desire to leave our mark, to transcend the limitations of mortality through the enduring power of the written word. This etching isn’t merely a portrait, it is a testament to the timeless human impulse to create, to communicate, and to connect across the ages.