Portret van Johann Franz Eckher von Kapfing und Lichteneck 1700 - 1735

Curator: Ah, I feel like I've just stepped back into a bewigged era. All it needs is a powdered nose to set the scene. Editor: Exactly. And this isn't just any powdered nose. We are looking at a finely detailed engraving dating back to somewhere between 1700 and 1735. It’s a portrait of Johann Franz Eckher von Kapfing und Lichteneck, attributed to Franz Xaver Joseph Späth. Curator: Späth really captured something of his character, don't you think? There's an austerity, yes, but also something quite gentle in his eyes. Makes you wonder about his hidden passions, poetry maybe? Though that voluminous wig suggests adherence to rules and norms! Editor: The wig itself is interesting. It serves as both a status symbol, showing position within the court or church, and also becomes almost an iconographic element in and of itself. Note also the rather intense gaze. Such direct eye contact, rendered through the relatively new medium of engraving, seeks to give us access to the subject's soul. Curator: Access to the soul through the mediation of symbols... it's a Baroque hall of mirrors! And below, that intricate coat of arms... I'd love to know its story. Does the lion represent bravery, power? And what's the significance of that checkerboard pattern beside it? Each element meticulously crafted, another little door into his world, a treasure hunt in symbols! Editor: The checkerboard and the lion indeed allude to lineage, jurisdiction and dominion and serve as complex emblems of power and status, reinforcing not just his personal identity but his place within a larger social hierarchy. You see echoes of this heraldry in contemporary branding today. These symbols are the memory and expression of the authority and claims that helped build this social system in its entirety. Curator: Well, suddenly that powdered nose feels a lot heavier! Editor: Right? These images aren't simply portraits, they're dense condensations of identity and social history that allow us access to whole systems of cultural and political beliefs. It gives us pause about our modern forms of self-presentation today. Curator: Precisely! Looking at this portrait makes you realise how we all construct ourselves, one symbol at a time. From wigs to… Instagram filters? Editor: Indeed! Even the casual selfie can speak volumes, given time and thoughtful analysis.