Portret van Petrus Broes - Carel Jacob de Huyser

A formal portrait engraving of the Dutch clergyman Petrus Broes, executed with precise cross-hatching and structured framing by Carel Jacob de Huyser.

This engraving by Carel Jacob de Huyser depicts Petrus Broes, a Dutch clergyman, presented within a formal oval frame. The composition follows the conventions of eighteenth-century portraiture, where the subject is shown from the chest up, wearing clerical attire including a dark coat and a white tab collar. His hair is styled in a peruke, typical of the period, framing a face rendered with precise, linear detail.

De Huyser employs a rigorous cross-hatching technique to establish shadow and volume, particularly within the folds of the clothing and the depth of the oval aperture. The background of the frame features a subtle grid pattern, which provides a contrast to the organic curves of the subject. Four circular motifs occupy the corners of the rectangular border, adding a sense of architectural structure to the print. The name P. BROES is inscribed clearly at the base, identifying the sitter for the viewer.

As a Dutch engraver active during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, de Huyser produced numerous portraits of contemporary figures. This work demonstrates the technical discipline required for copperplate engraving, where every mark is permanent and intentional. The print offers a clear view of the aesthetic preferences of the era, favouring order, clarity, and a restrained palette. It is a representative example of the portrait prints that circulated among the Dutch public to document the appearance of notable religious and civic leaders. The work remains in a condition that allows for a close examination of the artist's control over the burin, showing the methodical approach to portraiture that defined the period.