Portret van Gustav Adolph Jung 1700 - 1737

Andreas Matthäus Wolfgang created this portrait of Gustav Adolph Jung using engraving techniques sometime around the late 17th to early 18th century. Engravings like this one were crucial to the formation of public identity in the early modern period. This print, made in the German territories, offers us a glimpse into the visual codes of status and intellect. The subject, framed in an oval cartouche, is likely a man of letters, given the books in the background. The Latin inscription around the edge and the German verse at the bottom add to the impression of learnedness and piety. These small prints circulated widely and helped to establish the reputations of scholars, theologians, and other public figures. To understand this image fully, we would need to delve into the archives of the institutions with which Jung was associated, piecing together the social networks and intellectual currents that shaped his world. Only then can we appreciate the public role of this seemingly modest portrait.