Portret van Adriaen van der van der Werff 1721

This is Jacob Houbraken's print of Adriaen van der Werff, held at the Rijksmuseum. It presents an image of controlled elegance, captured through the precise medium of engraving. The composition is structured within a framed oval, softening the rigidity of the rectangular print. This decorative border contrasts with the detailed rendering of van der Werff, whose gaze meets ours with composed assurance. The texture of his voluminous wig is meticulously created with fine lines, a display of technical skill that enhances the print's visual appeal. Below, we see the tools and symbols of his trade, suggesting the sitter's status and identity. Houbraken masterfully uses the formal constraints of the engraving process to construct not just a likeness, but a statement about artistic legacy and social standing. This intertwining of form and content invites us to consider how identity is constructed and communicated through art.