Portret van Leonhard Fussenegger 1655

Bartholomäus Hopfer the second created this portrait of Leonhard Fussenegger using black chalk, likely in the mid-17th century. During this era, portraiture became a tool for the emerging middle class to assert their status and identity. Here, Fussenegger is depicted with symbols of his status: his refined clothing, the book in his hand—a clear signifier of learning and wealth. He is gazing confidently, perhaps even challengingly, towards the viewer, as if aware of his position in society. Hopfer, working in a time of shifting social structures, uses portraiture to not only capture a likeness but to also convey something of Fussenegger’s identity as a man of status. This portrait reflects the societal values of the time, where appearance and symbolic representation played crucial roles in defining one’s place in the world. The piece asks us to consider the emotional weight of representation and how identity is constructed through the interplay of artist, subject, and viewer.