Portret van August Wilhelm von Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Bevern 1762 - 1833

This is a portrait of August Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Bevern, etched by Meno Haas. A key symbol here is the elaborate wig, powdered white and meticulously curled. More than mere fashion, this wig is a potent signifier of status and belonging, a visual declaration of one’s place within the aristocratic order of the 18th century. Consider, though, the evolution of head adornment across cultures. In ancient Egypt, elaborate headdresses marked royal authority. Here, in this portrait, the wig serves a similar function, albeit within a different social structure. It echoes the lion’s mane, unconsciously evoking power and dominance. This symbol of power has not disappeared but has been transmuted in modern business or political life. The careful grooming, the expensive suit—these are contemporary wigs, costumes for the theater of power. It reveals how deeply ingrained these symbolic gestures are in the human psyche. The wig, the suit, the carefully chosen words—all tools in an ongoing performance.