Portret van Johann Wilhelm von der Lith 1693 - 1750

Curator: Here we have Johann Balthasar Probst’s "Portret van Johann Wilhelm von der Lith," an engraving dating to sometime between 1693 and 1750. It’s currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, I am immediately struck by how composed it is, almost unnervingly so. There’s something about that elaborate wig paired with the rather severe black robes that gives it a very… serious air. The man seems almost too… in control? Curator: Indeed. Consider the cultural context: portrait engravings such as this played a vital role in solidifying social hierarchies. The presence of the bookshelf behind Johann hints at status and intellect; a controlled performance of identity. Editor: True! But look at the drapery; that curtain gives me baroque drama. Is it hiding or revealing? The interplay between severity and flamboyance keeps my interest, it seems performative. And the book in his hand… is that a prop or his beloved study object? Curator: It could well be both! Such elements acted as signifiers. Holding a book symbolized learning and wisdom. The act was intentional to reinforce a specific message. And academic art was very popular. Editor: It makes me wonder about his real personality. Did Johann chuckle privately at the wig and robe, knowing he was playing a part? I also notice the inscription at the base—the family coat of arms with, ahem, a complex genealogy. Curator: Precisely. Lineage was a key aspect of these representations. We see this kind of memorial culture evolving and how imagery actively constructs our view on the past. The engraving allowed for a wider circulation of this carefully curated image. Editor: So, it’s a kind of 18th-century LinkedIn profile, etched in copper. Curator: An apt analogy! These images created an aspirational public image of power and intellect, carefully constructing and conveying social identity. Editor: All this high-minded stuff and what does it all add up to? Status anxiety. But the image persists, it speaks across centuries... Curator: Absolutely. These portraits become potent reminders about the ways we are memorialized as historical characters and how those portraits still move us today.