Portret van Johann Friedrich Tiede 1796

Johann Carl Richter captured Johann Friedrich Tiede in this print. The oval frame immediately draws our attention, adorned with a ribbon at the top. Ribbons, those seemingly simple decorative elements, are laden with meaning throughout art history. Consider how ribbons appear in Renaissance paintings, often tied to laurel wreaths, symbolizing triumph and honour. This harks back to classical antiquity, where wreaths were bestowed upon victors and heroes. Now, fast forward to the Rococo period; ribbons become frivolous, embodying elegance and the pleasures of the aristocracy. Here, the ribbon serves to celebrate Tiede's life. A ribbon, a tie, a bond—a material symbol of memory. What we remember, what we celebrate, and how we choose to do so are all part of our collective consciousness, passed down and reshaped through generations.