C. F. Gellert 1748 - 1827

Christian Detlef Friederich Reventlow created this print of C. F. Gellert using engraving, a medium that allowed for the wide distribution of images during the 18th century. Gellert, a professor of philosophy, embodied the Enlightenment ideals of reason and morality. Reventlow, part of the Danish aristocracy, was likely drawn to Gellert's intellectual and social standing, reflecting the period's reverence for thinkers and writers. However, the print also speaks to issues of class and representation. While the engraving immortalizes Gellert, it also reinforces the social hierarchy of the time, where the elite had the power to control and disseminate images. The blank space beneath the portrait hints at an absence, an untold story. Perhaps it is suggestive of the voices and faces that were not deemed worthy of representation. Consider how the act of portraiture—then and now—can both celebrate and exclude.