Silhouetportret van Johann Esaias Silberschlag

About this artwork

height 188 mm x width 137 mm

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate *Silhouetportret van Johannaias Silberschlag*, etching by W.H. Mewes from the late 18th century ( 1740–1799). Measuring a modest 188 mm high by 137 mm wide, this intimate portrait captures the profile of Silberschlag—a figure likely from the intellectual circles of the Enlightenment—in stark silhouette. Mewes, a printmaker of the period, employs the etching technique, where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate allowing for precise, reproducible profiles that were both artistic and accessible. Silhouette portraits like this one surged in popularity during the 18th...