Portret van Jean Henri de Laat de Kanter Possibly 1848

This is an undated portrait of Jean Henri de Laat de Kanter by Johann Peter Berghaus, rendered with graphite. The drawing presents a study in contrasts between light and shadow. The subject sits in profile, a cigar held firmly in his mouth, crowned by a wide-brimmed hat. Berghaus uses hatching and stippling to give form and depth to his subject. Areas of shadow define the contours of his face and the folds of his clothing. The neutral background heightens the focused detailing of the portrait. The image's structure is a semiotic field: the hat, a signifier of status; the cigar, a symbol of leisure. These details are carefully constructed to convey the subject’s persona within the social codes of the time. Berghaus's work is a construction of identity, reflected in the formal qualities of the work. We understand that this portrait is not merely a likeness but an interpretation deeply embedded in cultural and philosophical discourse.