Portret van Gertraud Beyer 1691

This is Moritz Bodenehr’s portrait of Gertraud Beyer, made with engraving around 1691. The eye is immediately drawn to the oval frame, within which Beyer is centrally positioned, her gaze meeting ours directly. The engraving uses variations in line density to create tonal contrasts, giving depth to the drapery and the sitter's face. The portrait is enclosed in a double oval frame, adding a layer of formality. The lower portion of the frame is adorned with dense, stylized foliage, providing a visual counterpoint to the more austere upper section. Below the portrait, an inscribed plinth serves to identify the sitter. Bodenehr uses the graphic language of the engraving to articulate social status. The detailed rendering of Beyer's garments, combined with the formal setting, places her within a specific socio-economic context. The portrait operates as both an individual likeness and a signifier of social identity. The interplay between the depicted subject and the surrounding visual elements invites viewers to decode the values and codes of representation prevalent in 17th-century portraiture.