Portret van Mungo Park 1795 - 1834

Konrad Westermayr created this portrait of Mungo Park in an etching. The oval shape of the image immediately draws our attention to the subject. The composition is simple, the use of monochrome tones offers a study in contrast and texture, from the soft rendering of Park's hair to the more defined lines of his jacket. The oval format itself creates a contained space, focusing the viewer's gaze entirely on Park's features. The etcher uses a stippling effect to delineate the form. The texture and tone suggest a sense of depth and volume. Mungo Park’s clothing and hairstyle indicate an engagement with enlightenment ideals that favored clarity, order, and rational thought. The print offers more than just a depiction of a man; it invites us to contemplate the artistic and cultural conventions through which identity is constructed and represented. The choice of an etching as a medium, with its fine lines and tonal gradations, contributes to the overall aesthetic experience and understanding.