Portret van Georg Joachim Zollikofer 1756 - 1819

Gottlob August Liebe made this print of Georg Joachim Zollikofer, but the date is unknown. As a portrait, it shows us how Zollikofer wanted to be seen, and how Liebe wanted to depict him. The trappings of Zollikofer’s status—his powdered wig, his clerical collar—are all carefully rendered to convey a sense of authority and respectability. Liebe was German, and his work speaks to the rise of the middle class and the cultural values that legitimized their power in the 18th century. Here, the symbols of the church are presented in tandem with the trappings of wealth and status. The question, of course, is whether this image reflects the true state of social affairs. We can turn to written sources to understand Zollikofer's place in society. What did his contemporaries say about him? How did he use his position to influence those around him? These are the kinds of questions that help us understand the true social role of art.