Portret van Filips, graaf van Hohenlohe 1841 - 1879

Edouard Taurel’s engraving, “Portret van Filips, graaf van Hohenlohe” captures its subject within a rigorously formal structure. The portrait is presented in shades of grey and white, emphasizing form and texture over color. The count is framed by an oval that sits atop a rectangular plinth, lending the image a sense of classical monumentality. The interplay of shapes directs our gaze. The curves of the face and elaborate collar soften the rigid angles of the armor. The use of light and shadow models the form of the armor. These details create a play between depth and flatness, inviting us to examine not only the depicted subject but also the techniques of representation itself. This engraving invites us to consider how portraits use visual signs—armor, heraldry—to construct identity and social status. As viewers, we are prompted to consider the relationship between the signifier, the image, and the signified, the person, and the values they represent. This image, meticulously crafted, offers a space for ongoing interpretation and re-evaluation.