Portret van Florentius Cornelis Kist

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Welcome to our virtual gallery, where we spotlight *Portret van Florent Cornelis Kist*, compelling lithograph by Michel Mourot, created sometime between 1813 and1847. Measuring 305 mm high by 235 mm wide, this intimate portrait captures the likeness of Florentius Corn Kist, likely a notable figure of the era, rendered with the precision characteristic of early 19th printmaking. Mourot, working in the burgeoning age of lithography, employed this innovative medium—developed just over a decade earlier by Alois Senefelder—to produce detailed, reproducible images that democratized portraiture beyond oil paintings reserved for the elite. Lithography's magic lies in its planographic process: artists drew directly on limestone slabs with greasy crayon, allowing ink to adhere only to those marks during printing. This technique brought remarkable tonal subtlety and texture to portraits like this one, making high-quality likenesses more accessible during Europe's Romantic period, when personal commemoration flourished amid social and political upheavals like the Napoleonic Wars' aftermath. A subtle treasure: the print bears the collector's mark Lugt 2228 (from Frits Lugt's comprehensive catalog of marks), signaling its provenance from a distinguished 19th- or early 20th-century collection. This mark underscores the artwork's enduring value, inviting us to ponder Kist's story and Mourot's craft in bridging art and everyday legacy.