Portret van Michael Ettmüller 1687 - 1743

Johann Georg Mentzel created this print of Michael Ettmüller sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. It offers insight into the social standing and intellectual life of its time. Ettmüller, a professor of physics and medicine, is depicted with the trappings of status: voluminous wig, draped robe, and formal attire. The print subtly conveys the hierarchy of knowledge and the importance of academic institutions in shaping intellectual authority in the German lands. Mentzel's detailed engraving captures not just Ettmüller's likeness, but also the textures and symbols of his profession. To understand this work more fully, one might delve into the university records of the period, exploring the networks of patronage and intellectual exchange that defined academic life. Looking at other portraits of academics from this era, we can start to recognize the visual codes and the social values they represent. Art history is often detective work!