Portret van Philipp Heinrich Friedlieb 1657 - 1720

This engraving of Philipp Heinrich Friedlieb was created by Johann Alexander Böner in the 17th century. Dominating the composition is Friedlieb himself, encircled by an oval frame, whose contours are echoed in the elaborate ruff around his neck and the soft cap atop his head. Below him, a coat of arms, a symbol of lineage and status, anchors the lower part of the portrait. Consider the oval frame, a motif stretching back to antiquity. In ancient Rome, portraits of ancestors were often framed in a similar fashion, displayed during funeral processions as a way of honoring the family line and affirming social status. It reappears during the Renaissance in painted portraits, as well as cameos or engravings like this one, solidifying the sitter’s place in history and collective memory. The act of framing, then and now, is more than mere decoration; it is a psychological assertion. It declares the subject worthy of remembrance, echoing through centuries as a powerful, ever-evolving form.