Portret van Johann Christoph Krüsike op 55-jarige leeftijd 1737

Christian Fritzsch made this portrait of Johann Christoph Krüsike using etching in 1737. It reflects the values of its time and place: Northern Germany during the late Baroque period. The sober dress and the prominent ruff speak to Krüsike's role as a minister in the Lutheran church. But the elaborate wig and the decorative frame around the portrait opening also tell us of the importance of status and presentation in the social hierarchy of the time. Religious institutions were often deeply entwined with political power structures. Portraits like this reinforced the authority of the church and its ministers within society. Looking at portraits like this alongside church records, social histories of Hamburg, and biographies can provide a better understanding of the man, his role, and the society in which he lived. Art history helps us to consider the politics of imagery and the social conditions that shape artistic production.