Portrait of a bearded man holding a book
Original title: Portrait of a bearded man holding a book
kurzbeschreibung
Bartholomaeus Ignaz Weiss produced this etching sometime between 1750 and 1815. It features a bearded man holding a book and belongs to the portrait tradition of the eighteenth century. The print was made as an etching on paper.
Description
An older man with a thick grey beard and matching hair stands out. He wears a simple garment fastened with a shoulder strap. The background remains dark and subdued, which emphasizes the figure. The man's gaze meets the viewer directly, establishing immediate contact. The palette is monochrome, the light even—typical of an etching.
Context
Bartholomaeus Ignaz Weiss was a German artist active in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Little is known about his life; he is mainly known for portraits and religious subjects. This etching comes from an era when prints were widely used to circulate images of individuals or types. A bearded man with a book might suggest a scholar or philosopher—a common subject of the Enlightenment.
Impact
The direct eye contact and calm arrangement make the print feel immediate and composed. The dark background heightens the sitter's presence and gives the portrait a serious, dignified tone.
Technique
This work is an etching, an intaglio process in which the drawing is scratched into a metal plate and bitten with acid. Even inking and pulling produce fine lines and a monochrome effect. The plate measures 24.4 × 17.9 cm; the sheet has been trimmed to 29.7 × 18.7 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)