Portret van Heinrich Friedrich von Delius 1791

Christoph-Wilhelm Bock made this print of Heinrich Friedrich von Delius sometime in the late eighteenth century. Its creation speaks to the growing importance of portraiture in the public sphere, particularly as printmaking allowed images to circulate more widely. This small portrait, likely intended for personal use or for a small circle of acquaintances, still reflects broader social trends. Consider the subject's powdered wig and formal attire, visual markers of status and belonging to a particular social class. This was a time of growing social stratification, and portraiture played a key role in reinforcing these hierarchies. Bock was active in Germany at the time of growing industrialization, and it is worth noting the professionalization of art happening alongside it. Studying prints like this involves delving into genealogical records, period fashion plates, and the histories of printmaking workshops. It is through this contextual investigation that we can understand the image not just as a likeness but as a document of its time.