Portret van Adam Ernest Z'Narimuntow Waszklewicz

About this artwork

height 348 mm x width 261 mm

Art Historical Context

**Portret van Adam Ernest Z'Narimuntow Waszklewicz** is a striking lithograph portrait created by Johann Peter Berghaus on September 30, 1852. Measuring 348 mm in height and 261 mm in width, this mid-19th-century print captures the formal likeness of Adam Ernest Z'Narimuntow Waszklewicz, whose elaborate name hints at Eastern European nobility, possibly Polish or Lithuanian heritage. Berghaus, a proficient German lithographer active during this era, specialized in detailed reproductive prints that bridged fine art and commercial illustration. Lithography, the artwork's medium, was a revolutionary technique by the 1850s, allowing artists to draw directly on a lithographic stone with greasy crayon or ink, then transfer it to paper through chemical processes. This method excelled in producing subtle tones and textures akin to drawing, making portraits like this one both precise and expressive. It democratized access to high-quality images, far beyond what traditional engraving could achieve efficiently. As a snapshot of 19th-century portraiture, this piece reflects the era's fascination with individual identity amid Europe's shifting political landscapes. Visitors can appreciate how Berghaus's skilled hand immortalized his subject in a format both intimate and reproducible, offering a window into the cultural exchanges of the time.