Silhouetportret van Petrus Jas 1809 - 1848

Pieter Barbiers IV created this silhouette portrait of Petrus Jas. The composition is strikingly simple. The stark contrast between the black silhouette and the neutral background immediately grabs our attention. Barbiers masterfully uses line to define Jas's profile, capturing the texture of his hair and the cut of his clothing with impressive economy. The lack of color or shading pushes us to focus on the pure form and the underlying structure of the image. In a world where portraiture often aimed to capture the individual's essence, this silhouette flattens the subject, turning him into a sign, an emblem. We are left contemplating not the man, but the image itself, a play of positive and negative space that raises questions about representation and identity. The signature and inscription add to this semiotic game, further emphasizing the constructed nature of the image and the complex interplay between art, identity, and representation.