Portret van Johann Meyer 1743 - 1767

This is Johann Martin Bernigeroth's "Portret van Johann Meyer," an engraving housed at the Rijksmuseum. The composition is structured around an oval frame that encloses the portrait of Johann Meyer. The meticulous hatching and cross-hatching create a range of tonal values, from the bright highlights on Meyer's wig to the deep shadows in the folds of his coat. Bernigeroth uses linear precision to define forms and textures. He highlights Meyer's features while situating him within a tableau of symbols. It seems that this work challenges established hierarchies, where the portrait is elevated by its allegorical setting, and also framed by it. This sets up a dialectic between individual representation and symbolic framework. Note how the careful rendering of textures, from the smoothness of skin to the intricate patterns of lace, creates a semiotic system, reflecting social and intellectual values. These are encoded within the material representation.