Portret van de theoloog Benjamin Ursinus by Pieter Schenk

Portret van de theoloog Benjamin Ursinus

1705

Pieter Schenk's Profile Picture

Pieter Schenk

1660 - 1711

Location

Rijksmuseum
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Artwork details

Medium
print, engraving
Dimensions
height 272 mm, width 187 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

#portrait#baroque#print#old engraving style#form#line#engraving#realism

About this artwork

This is Pieter Schenk’s portrait of the theologian Benjamin Ursinus, made around 1705. The print captures Ursinus within an oval frame, his figure composed of intricate lines etched with remarkable precision. The eye is immediately drawn to the contrast between the dark, patterned robe and the delicate, almost ethereal quality of Ursinus’s face and wig. Schenk masterfully employs the texture of the print medium, playing with light and shadow to define form. The fine lines create a sense of depth and volume, especially in the cascading curls of the wig, which frame Ursinus's face like a halo. Look at how Schenk uses the contrast between the ornate details of the clothing and the relative simplicity of Ursinus's face to emphasize his spiritual authority. The use of the oval format flattens the picture plane. However, this aesthetic choice serves to intensify the gaze directed at the viewer. Ultimately, Schenk's portrait invites us to consider the relationship between surface appearance and the deeper, less visible aspects of faith and intellect.

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