Portret van Anton Roschmann 1725 - 1774

This is Franz Sebastian Schauer's portrait of Anton Roschmann. The piece invites us to consider the world of 18th-century intellectuals. Roschmann is surrounded by symbols of wealth and learning: a grand chair, a bookshelf stacked with tomes, and a classical sculpture. Portraits such as this not only captured the likeness of an individual but also projected an image of their social standing and intellectual prowess. It presents a constructed identity rather than a mere reflection. Roschmann is depicted in the act of writing, as if caught in a moment of profound thought. His gaze is direct, his expression confident. Yet, as we consider this image, we must also ask ourselves, whose stories are being told and whose are being left out? What does it mean to memorialize certain figures while others are forgotten? How does this impact our collective understanding of history?