Portret van Johann Klefeker 1728

Christian Fritzsch created this portrait of Johann Klefeker using etching techniques. The work encapsulates the intersection of identity and societal role during the 17th and 18th centuries. Klefeker, identified here as both a lawyer and a merchant, embodies the emerging буржуазия of the time. His identity is carefully constructed through dress and pose. The elaborate wig and lace collar are not merely fashion statements; they are symbols of status, intellect, and belonging to the upper echelons of society. But consider what is absent. In a society deeply stratified by class, gender, and race, whose stories were excluded from such portraits? While Fritzsch's technical skill is evident, the portrait also reflects the selective visibility afforded to certain individuals in a hierarchical society. Ultimately, this image serves as a reminder of the power of portraiture to shape and reflect societal values, as well as the importance of questioning whose stories are told and whose are left in the shadows.