Portret van Marten Soolmans c. 1883 - 1885

Charles Albert Waltner rendered "Portret van Marten Soolmans" through a sophisticated manipulation of line and shadow. The dark attire of the subject is in contrast to his pale skin, drawing us to the intricacies of his face. The composition is structured around a play of dark and light, the cape creates a dramatic visual weight. The artist uses line to create a sense of form. The soft rendering of shadow gives volume to Soolmans figure. Waltner employs etching to replicate brushstrokes and textures, giving the artwork depth and a tactile quality, while the detailed rendering of the lace collar and the tassel highlights texture and form. This attention to detail creates a tension between surface and depth, reality and representation. The figure seems not just represented but almost present.