Portret van Johann Höfel 1645 - 1671

This is Lukas Schnitzer’s ‘Portret van Johann Höfel’, an undated print made using etching. Schnitzer was working in the 17th century, a period marked by significant religious and political upheaval, particularly the Thirty Years' War. This portrait exemplifies the intricate relationship between identity, status, and cultural representation of the time. The detailed rendering of Johann Höfel, surrounded by heraldic symbols and Latin inscriptions, speaks to his social standing and lineage. The inclusion of poetry in German frames his identity, reflecting on themes of mortality and the transience of earthly achievements, as seen in the lines, "As ist die schudde Welt?" "Is the world guilty?". It captures a tension between the celebration of individual status and the somber awareness of life's fleeting nature. The emotional depth conveyed through the poetic text invites reflection on the personal and societal values of the time.