Portret van Juliana Maria Schacher 1709 - 1733

Martin Bernigeroth made this print of Juliana Maria Schacher in the late 17th or early 18th century using etching and engraving. The monument-like setting, complete with putti and a coat of arms, elevates Schacher to an almost aristocratic level. The image is rich with the visual codes of the period. The figure of Time, scythe in hand, reminds us of mortality, as does the toppled column and extinguished hourglass at his feet. This iconography speaks to the conventions of memorial portraiture, but it also speaks to the social dynamics of the Holy Roman Empire, in which Bernigeroth worked. Genealogy, social status, and earthly accomplishments were all intertwined, and printmakers like Bernigeroth were employed to immortalize this for posterity. Art historians look to sources like family records, emblem books, and even funeral sermons to better understand the values of the time and how artists gave them visual form. The meaning of art is contingent on social context.