Portret van Johann Erhard Kapp 1735

This portrait of Johann Erhard Kapp, made by Johann Martin Bernigeroth, presents us with the iconography of 18th-century academia. The elaborate wig, the formal attire, and the architectural pedestal denote status, learning, and public role. However, these symbols are not unique to this era. Consider the philosopher portraits of antiquity, or even the depictions of saints in religious art. In each case, certain visual cues communicate authority and veneration. The oval frame, which suggests a classical cameo, echoes the past, evoking the continuity of intellectual tradition. Looking closer, the architectural base here has a twisting ornamentation that resembles snakes. What is the meaning here? The snake is a polyvalent symbol – medicine, healing, danger and temptation. Throughout time, this symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.