img349 Ernst Fuchs

The engraving presents a male figure in profile, turned slightly towards the viewer. His face is deeply lined and weathered, suggesting considerable age and experience. The artist has rendered the skin with meticulous detail, emphasizing wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, as well as prominent veins on his neck and forehead. A sparse hairline reveals a high forehead, contributing to an impression of intellectualism or perhaps melancholy.
The man holds a bird – likely a hawk or falcon – in his gloved hand. The bird’s posture is alert, its head cocked as if listening intently. This interaction between the man and the bird forms a central visual element, hinting at themes of control, observation, and potentially, wisdom gained through experience. The birds sharp talons are clearly visible, adding an element of potential danger or power to the scene.
A flower, seemingly a tulip, is held delicately in the same hand that supports the bird. This juxtaposition – the powerful bird alongside the fragile bloom – creates a visual tension and invites contemplation on contrasting forces: strength versus fragility, nature versus cultivation, perhaps even life and death.
The man’s attire suggests a position of some status; the elaborate detailing on his sleeves indicates wealth or nobility. The background is dark and indistinct, drawing attention to the central figure and his companions. A faint inscription appears in the upper right corner, its meaning obscured but adding an aura of mystery and historical context.
The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation and symbolic weight. The engraving seems less a straightforward portrait than a meditation on human nature, the passage of time, and the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. It evokes a sense of introspection and invites viewers to consider the hidden meanings embedded within this carefully constructed scene.