Portret van de predikant Christoph Georg Siegmund Begemann 1804

Charles Howard Hodges made this mezzotint portrait of Christoph Georg Siegmund Begemann. Begemann was a minister, and Hodges, an engraver, draughtsman, and painter, found success making portraits of prominent citizens. The portrait presents Begemann as a man of authority. His clothing and powdered wig are formal, signifying status, and the use of an oval frame further idealizes the sitter. Hodges was active in the Netherlands between 1788 and 1795, during a period of political and social upheaval. The Dutch Republic faced internal divisions between the Patriots, who sought democratic reforms, and the Orangists, who supported the stadtholder. Institutions like the church played a significant role in shaping public opinion and maintaining social order. Historians consult period newspapers and church records to reveal more about the sitter and the artist in the context of social and institutional history.