Portret van Samuel Oerthling

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

### Portrait of Samuel Oerthling Step into the refined world of 18th-century portraiture with *Portret van Samuel Oerthling*, an exquisite engraving by Johann Georg Mentzel, a skilled German printmaker active between 1687 and 1743. This intimate work captures the likeness of Samuel Oerthling, likely a notable figure from the era—perhaps a scholar, merchant, or public servant—whose visage was preserved through Mentzel's precise hand. Created during the late Baroque period, such portraits served as personal mementos and status symbols, bridging the gap between elite patronage and wider dissemination via print. Mentzel's mastery shines in the engraving medium, a labor-intensive intaglio technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, inked, and pressed onto paper to yield rich, detailed impressions. At modest dimensions of 195 mm high by 152 mm wide, this piece exemplifies the portability and affordability of engravings, making high-society portraits accessible beyond oil paintings. The fine lines and tonal gradations would have conveyed Oerthling's dignified expression with remarkable fidelity. On the verso, a collector's mark stamped in ink (Lugt 2228) reveals its provenance, linking it to esteemed European collections. This subtle authentication underscores the artwork's enduring cultural value, a testament to the meticulous connoisseurship of the time. A charming glimpse into historical identity and artistry! (198 words)