Oude man met baard, baret met twee veren en bontmantel 1776

Johann Andreas Benjamin Nothnagel created this print of an old man with a beard, beret, and fur coat sometime in the 18th century. This portrait appears to be an exercise in status and identity. The man’s fur coat and feathered beret speak to a particular class身份, in a society defined by strict hierarchies and visible markers of status. His age and the wisdom it implies are equally part of his persona. However, the image is also a study in contrasts: the soft, textured fur against the sharp lines of his face, the dark coat emphasizing the lightness of his beard. What feelings do you get when looking at the image? Does the man’s expression invite empathy, or does his attire create distance? Nothnagel’s work prompts us to think about how identity is performed and perceived, both then and now.