Portret van Christoph Ludwig Schwarzenau 1674 - 1714

Elias Nessenthaler created this portrait of Christoph Ludwig Schwarzenau using etching techniques. The portrait is framed by an oval which contains an inscription identifying Schwarzenau as a minister and theologian at the age of 46. Consider the weight of religious identity in the 17th and 18th centuries. Schwarzenau's attire, consisting of a dark robe and white collar, signifies his religious status and affiliation, while his voluminous wig reflects the fashion of the time. His hand resting on an open book, perhaps the Bible, underscores the importance of religious text and scholarship in shaping identity. The Latin inscription below the portrait emphasizes Schwarzenau's role as a beacon of theological wisdom, a 'SIONE Pharos', or light of Zion, illuminating the path for others. The portrait immortalizes Schwarzenau's religious identity and underscores the cultural and social values placed on religious authority. It invites us to contemplate the ways in which identity is constructed, performed, and preserved through visual representation.