Portret van Johann II Saubert 1676 - 1720

This is Johann Alexander Böner’s portrait of Johann II Saubert, made using etching sometime between 1662 and 1692. At the time, portraiture was more than just a likeness; it was a declaration of social standing and personal identity. Saubert, a professor and preacher, is presented with a gravity fitting his station. But there's a tension here. Böner's detailed rendering captures Saubert's physical presence, yet the added text makes claims about Saubert's character. This interplay between image and text invites us to consider how identity is constructed. Is it through appearance, achievement, or the words of others? The artist uses light and shadow to model Saubert's face, creating a sense of depth and presence. Saubert’s gaze meets ours. Consider how the portrait might have been perceived then, and how it speaks to us now about the roles we play and the personas we present to the world.