Portret van Hermann Jacob Burchardi 1700 - 1749

Johann Friedrich Rosbach's rendering captures Hermann Jacob Burchardi in ink, a doctor of medicine and confessor, draped in the emblems of his status. Here, the elaborate wig is not merely fashion; it is a symbol of power and erudition, recalling the sun-king Louis XIV, whose own wig signaled his authority. The gesture of his arm, casually resting, echoes classical statuary of emperors and philosophers, signaling learnedness and ease of power. Consider, too, how the display of status and power here mirrors ancient Roman portraiture, where togas and laurel wreaths denoted rank. But unlike those symbols, the wig and the doctor's garb are more temporal, reflective of the 18th century’s emphasis on visible status. The evolution of symbols is never linear but cyclical, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in response to shifting social currents. The image of power evolves, but the deep, subconscious need to display it remains unchanged.