Portret van Johann Friedrich Degen 1790 - 1825

This is a portrait of Johann Friedrich Degen, made by Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger, using etching and possibly other techniques. What is the public role of a portrait like this? It certainly commemorates Degen, who was director, professor, and inspector of the Fürstenschule in Verda, Germany. But it also creates an image of status and authority. It suggests that institutions of education are important to society and that those who serve them should be memorialized. This small, reproducible portrait helped solidify Degen’s legacy in the region. The image is part of a larger tradition of portraiture that attempts to capture the likeness of an individual, but it is also concerned with communicating something about their social standing. As historians, we can use sources like school archives, town records, and even student testimonials to create a clearer picture of how Degen was perceived in his time. The meaning of such an image is always contingent on its social and institutional context.