Portret van Johann Jakob Hess 1823

Leonhard Staub created this portrait of Johann Jakob Hess through engraving. Staub, who died at the young age of 26, captured in this print the likeness of a man who was an Antistes, essentially the leading pastor of Zurich. Prints like this one were often commissioned by or made for members of the upper middle class, and they speak to a desire for representation and legacy. Note the formality of Hess’s attire, and the precision of the engraving which would have allowed for multiple copies to be made and distributed among his peers and followers. Consider the role of religious leaders during this period and the power they held in shaping social and moral norms. Think about the communities they served, the messages they preached, and the values they upheld. It is a study in the visual construction of authority. It offers us a chance to reflect on the representation of power and influence in the 19th century.