Portret van Lodewijk Ten Bokkel - Jan Willem Caspari

A refined stipple engraving by Jan Willem Caspari, depicting the Dutch clergyman Lodewijk Ten Bokkel in a formal bust-length portrait.

This stipple engraving by Jan Willem Caspari depicts Lodewijk Ten Bokkel, a Dutch clergyman, captured within a circular frame. The technique of stipple engraving, popular during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, relies on the application of small dots to create tonal variation and soft transitions between light and shadow. This method allows for a subtle, painterly quality that distinguishes the work from the sharper lines found in traditional copperplate engravings.

The subject is shown in a bust-length portrait, wearing the traditional clerical attire of the period, including a dark coat and the distinctive white tabs associated with the Dutch Reformed Church. His expression is calm and direct, reflecting the formal conventions of portraiture common in the Netherlands at the time. The circular composition focuses the viewer's attention entirely on the sitter, removing extraneous background details to emphasise the individual's features.

Jan Willem Caspari was a Dutch engraver known for his technical precision. His work often involved the reproduction of portraits for books and private collections. This particular print demonstrates his ability to render texture, particularly in the fabric of the coat and the soft modelling of the face. The paper retains the plate mark, indicating the original method of production using a printing press. The monochromatic palette and the clean, minimalist presentation make this an example of early nineteenth-century graphic portraiture. It provides a clear record of the sitter's appearance, typical of the era's interest in documenting public figures and religious leaders through affordable, reproducible media.