Portret van Christiana Mariana von Ziegler 1723 - 1741

Here we see Johann Martin Bernigeroth's portrait of Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, an engraving created sometime in the 18th century. This portrait offers a glimpse into the world of women in 18th-century intellectual circles. Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, born Romanus, was a notable German poet and writer during the Enlightenment. The portrait is carefully posed to present her as both an intellectual and a woman of status, capturing the complex negotiations women of her time had to make. Portraits like these were often used to solidify social standing. This engraving invites us to consider the nuanced ways in which women navigated the societal expectations of their time, leaving their mark in a world that often sought to confine them. The gaze of von Ziegler speaks volumes of her resolve.