Portret van Gabriel Christoph Benjamin Mosche 1798

This print, made by Johann Gottfried Schmidt, depicts Gabriel Christoph Benjamin Mosche. The image is a window into the social dynamics of 18th-century Europe. Made during the Enlightenment, this portrait reflects a growing emphasis on the individual. Consider the subject's clothing and hairstyle – these were potent symbols of social status. Note the attire, indicative of the sitter’s professional standing within the German middle class. The institutional history of portraiture also comes into play here. Portraiture served as a means of social climbing. The sitter is memorialized and elevated, if only in artistic form. As art historians, we delve into such contextual details, using archival records and other primary sources, to understand not only who Mosche was, but also what the image was intended to communicate about him. It helps us to consider the social function of art, and how individuals sought to project themselves within a particular social order.