Portret van Johannes Olearius 1713 - 1733

Martin Bernigeroth created this portrait of Johannes Olearius, a copper engraving, sometime between 1670 and 1733. Bernigeroth captured Olearius, a prominent theologian and academic, in a manner befitting his status within the rigid social hierarchies of 18th-century Europe. Consider the visual cues of power and knowledge. Olearius is adorned in the attire of his office, surrounded by symbols of learning. The portrait serves not just as a record of his likeness, but as an assertion of his position within a society deeply structured by class and religious authority. What does it mean to be represented? Whose stories are told, and whose are left out? This engraving invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in portraiture and the ways in which representation can reinforce existing social orders. As we look at Olearius, let us consider the lives and stories of those who were not deemed worthy of such attention.