Portret van Johann Christoph Wilhelm von Steck 1792 - 1793

J.S.L. Halle created this print of Johann Christoph Wilhelm von Steck with etching around 1792. The image presents us with a man who held a key position in the Prussian government, specifically within the department of foreign affairs. Consider the visual codes at play here: the oval frame, the laurel wreath, and the coat of arms – all markers of status and authority. The portrait commemorates a man deeply embedded within the institutional structures of his time. This print serves as a record of social standing, illustrating how images were used to solidify and broadcast one's position within the hierarchy of 18th-century Prussian society. Further research into the Prussian bureaucracy of this period would reveal the specific ways in which men like von Steck wielded power. By looking into archival documents we could further understand the social and institutional context that shaped the man and the image.