Portret van Johann Gottlieb Thill 1678 - 1737

Andreas Matthäus Wolfgang created this portrait of Johann Gottlieb Thill in the year 1708 using engraving. The most striking element is the elaborate ruff collar. This collar isn't merely a fashion statement; it's a symbol of status and formality, echoing through centuries of European portraiture. One sees similar collars in earlier Dutch Golden Age paintings, as emblems of civic virtue and prosperity. Yet, consider how the ruff has changed since the Renaissance. What was once a symbol of aristocratic pride, flaunted by figures like Queen Elizabeth I, evolved into a more subdued, almost burdensome accessory in Thill's time. Perhaps this shift reflects a subconscious yearning for the perceived stability and order of the past, even as society progressed. These symbols are not static; they transform and resurface, bearing the weight of collective memory and adapting to new cultural landscapes.