Portret van Johann Georg Hamann 1768 - 1817

Johann Heinrich Lips made this print of Johann Georg Hamann in the late eighteenth century. Hamann was a philosopher and theologian, and this image captures something of his intellectual persona through a visual language of the time. Made in Germany during the Enlightenment, the print reflects the growing importance of the individual and the rise of portraiture as a way to capture and celebrate individual identity. Yet, in the context of the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, Hamann was something of a counter-Enlightenment figure. The print of Hamann creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The sitter's gaze, the cut of his clothes, and the plaid headwear all place him as a figure of intellect, but also as a dissenter from mainstream thought. Researching the institutions, philosophical debates and social expectations of the time helps us better understand Hamann's importance and the ways in which Lips' portrait participates in the making of his legacy.