Portret van Philipp Karl von Eltz-Kempenich 1735

Johann Martin Bernigeroth made this portrait of Philipp Karl von Eltz-Kempenich with etching, sometime in the mid-18th century. This print gives us a sense of the world of the Holy Roman Empire, where powerful Prince-Bishops like Philipp Karl wielded both religious and political authority. The visual codes speak of that authority. The fur trimmed robes, the elaborate wig: these were the uniforms of power. He was the Archbishop of Mainz, one of the most important positions in the Empire. Bernigeroth, the artist, was part of a world of skilled artisans working for the glory of these powerful men. He had the skills to create this image, but his position in society was very different from that of his subject. Looking at an image like this we can ask: what was the role of art in shoring up the power of these institutions? To know more, we can dig into archives and libraries to examine documents, letters, and other sources that tell us more about the social and institutional context in which it was made.