George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel c. 19th century

Curator: This is Lazarus Gottlieb Sichling's portrait of George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. I find it immediately striking – quite somber, almost severe. Editor: The symbols of academia are all there, though. That high collar, the scholar's robe – it’s a portrait of intellectual authority. What I find fascinating is how, even now, Hegel's philosophies touch on so many of the critical issues we face: identity, freedom, historical progress. Curator: Absolutely, and Sichling’s choices also reflect the era’s complex social structures. Hegel’s influence was largely shaped by the socio-political turmoil after the French Revolution. Editor: And you can see that intensity, that almost restless spirit, in Sichling's etching. The shadows seem to emphasize his brow. Curator: Indeed. It makes me contemplate the weight of influence, and who is granted the platform to exert it. Editor: It's interesting to note how an image can subtly carry such layered historical information, both intellectual and societal.