Portret van Johann Casimir van Wartenberg before 1748

Willem de Broen made this print of Johann Casimir van Wartenberg using etching. Our eye is immediately drawn to the elaborate wig, a symbol of status and power during the 17th and 18th centuries. Consider how hair, throughout art history, has been laden with meaning. Think of the flowing locks of Renaissance figures, symbolizing vitality. Here, however, the wig is more architectural than natural, rigidly artificial. This reflects a shift from valuing natural beauty to constructed displays of social rank. The wig, in its excess, mirrors the armor Van Wartenberg wears, creating a sense of imposing artificiality. One sees echoes of ancient Roman portraiture, where armor symbolized military and civic virtue. Yet, here, it is more about projecting authority than proving it on the battlefield. This image evokes a psychological tension. It serves as a reminder of how symbols evolve, carrying echoes of the past while adapting to new societal demands.