Portret van Georg Ernst Wiegand 1696 - 1748

Curator: Let's discuss this captivating print of Georg Ernst Wiegand, created between 1696 and 1748 by Moritz Bodenehr. It is an engraving. Editor: My initial feeling is one of austere formality. The oval frame, those carefully placed lines suggesting depth...it's quite meticulous. Curator: The baroque era certainly favored detailed and precise representations. Prints like this one played an important role in disseminating images of prominent figures across society. Wiegand, as an archdeacon, occupied an important social and religious position. Editor: Absolutely, and the formal qualities contribute to that sense of importance. Consider the composition. The oval frame contains the subject, focusing our attention and elevating him. The cross-hatching adds shadows that contour the volume of his body, his clothes. And the inscription anchors him in history and in our own present. Curator: Exactly! The inscription serves as a record, detailing his birth, his appointment, and death—key markers for understanding his life trajectory within the context of the period. Note also that in wearing his clerical garb, he visibly displays his commitment to God. The image circulated, solidifying his identity in society. Editor: The rendering of texture also captivates me: his smooth complexion and neatly-combed hair, his voluminous patterned robes, even the waxy surface of the small book he holds, it is all masterfully conveyed by lines alone. Curator: And one could argue the print serves a didactic function, conveying status, religious values and morality, contributing to the structure of social behavior in the period. It reinforced societal norms. Editor: A masterful confluence of technique and purpose, offering much to analyze. Curator: I agree. This image allows us to unpack cultural ideas of prominence. Editor: A fascinating portrait rendered in crisp lines and crosshatching.