Portret van Andreas Teufel auf Gundersdorf und Bockfließ 1700 - 1749

This engraving portrays Andreas Teufel, Freiherr zu Gunderstoff, and was created by Johann Friedrich Rosbach. Though undated, the subject's armor and the style of the engraving suggest it was likely made sometime in the 17th century. Andreas Teufel's title, "Freiherr," indicates his status as a nobleman in a Germanic land, which at this time was dominated by the Holy Roman Empire. The image is an assertion of power. The formal portrait, the armor, the elaborate dress, and the proud bearing would all have signified the sitter’s elevated status to contemporary viewers. To understand this image fully, we would want to know more about the Teufel family and their place in the complex politics of the Holy Roman Empire. Genealogical records, local histories, and studies of the heraldry would help us better understand the social and institutional context that shaped this portrait. After all, the meaning of a work of art is contingent on these factors.