Portret van Johann Loeffelholz von Colberg 1641 - 1665

This undated portrait of Johann Loeffelholz von Colberg was made by Johann Friedrich Fleischberger in the 17th century using engraving. Engraving played an important role in consolidating social power in this period. Through engraved portraits, families and institutions could display their wealth, piety, and status for the world to see. Loeffelholz’s fur-lined coat, hat, and the decorative frame surrounding his image are indicators of status, wealth, and taste. The inscription gives us further information. It tells us that he was a licentiate of both laws, a court councillor and chamberlain of his Imperial Majesty. But it is the work of the historian to unpick these various signs. A wide range of resources such as archival documents, genealogical records, and period literature can help us understand the nuances of status and power in seventeenth century Europe. Only through a thorough understanding of the social and institutional conditions of this work can its true meaning be understood.