Portret van de theoloog Otto Mencking 1670 - 1713

Pieter Schenk etched this portrait of theologian Otto Mencking, capturing the fashion of the time. The elaborate wig, a symbol of status and intellectual prowess, frames Mencking's face. This wasn’t mere vanity; such displays were crucial in projecting authority. Consider, though, how similar displays appear across eras. Think of the lion's mane, framing the faces of rulers from antiquity to now, or even Samson's hair, a source of strength. Hair, it seems, holds power. This symbolic weight isn’t accidental; it taps into primal associations of virility and control. The flowing locks here aren't just stylish; they visually amplify Mencking's presence. It's as if the sitter were subconsciously attempting to assert control through artifice. The cyclical recurrence of such motifs shows how deeply ingrained these visual assertions are in our collective psyche.