Ernst Cohen hoogleraar te Utrecht 1902-1939 1939

This bronze plaque, by Jacob Jan van Goor, immortalizes Ernst Cohen's tenure as professor at Utrecht from 1902 to 1939. Imagine van Goor, carefully coaxing this portrait out of the metal, working in relief. I can see him, the artist, his hands moving with precision, responding to the cool touch of the bronze, deciding how much to push and pull. It's like a dance, a conversation between him and the material. The profile emerges, crisp and clean, capturing Cohen's likeness with a formal kind of grace. But the subtle shifts in plane and texture are what really catch my eye. The shadows deepen around his cheek and brow, hinting at the weight of thought, the burden of knowledge. I think of the portraits of great scientists, and the way that artists try to capture not just their likeness, but their minds. It's a beautiful attempt, isn't it? We want to see something of the inner life, and somehow, a gesture in metal can convey that. I wonder what Cohen thought of it?