Portret van Gottfried Thomasius 1690 - 1711

This is an engraving of Gottfried Thomasius, made by Johann Christian Marchand in the late 17th or early 18th century. As a print, this image could be widely circulated, and it deploys the visual language of portraiture to convey Thomasius’s status and character to a broad public. In the German states at this time, portraits, like this one, of professors and theologians were popular ways to promote and celebrate intellectual life. Thomasius, a jurist and philosopher, is shown here with the trappings of scholarship: books, a writing desk, and an inscription in Greek, all of which indicate his erudition. The heavy drapery and classical columns give the image an air of dignified authority. But we should note that the success and reputation of academics like Thomasius was also supported by wealthy patrons and powerful institutions. Looking at portraits like this one can tell us a lot about the cultural values of a specific time and place. Through careful study of visual codes, social structures, and institutional histories, we can better understand the social role of art.