Portret van Georg Friedrich von Kirchberg 1733

Christian Fritzsch created this print of Georg Friedrich von Kirchberg. During the 18th century, portraiture served as a powerful tool for constructing and broadcasting one's identity. Here, Kirchberg is presented not merely as an individual but as a figure embodying authority and status. His armor and the symbols of military prowess underscore his power. The elaborate wig, very much in vogue at the time, was a marker of wealth and nobility. Yet, what does it mean to perform power, and who gets to do so? This was a period marked by rigid social hierarchies. Representations like these reinforced those structures, shaping perceptions of who held authority and who was excluded. The emotional weight of this image rests in its ability to evoke both admiration and perhaps, for some, a sense of exclusion. How does this portrait reflect the societal values of its time, and what does it tell us about the relationship between image, identity, and power?