Portret van Gotthold Ephraim Lessing 1775 - 1840

Ernst Ludwig Riepenhausen made this engraving of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Here, the profile portrait, an artistic choice tracing back to antiquity, presents more than just a likeness. Consider Roman coins, where emperors immortalized their profiles, projecting power and authority. Lessing, a philosopher and playwright, is captured with a similar sense of gravitas. It is as if Riepenhausen consciously evokes the classical world to ennoble his subject. The profile, therefore, becomes a symbol of intellectual authority. Yet, unlike those ancient rulers, Lessing gazes not into the future but towards an unseen space. This averted gaze suggests introspection, a hallmark of Enlightenment thought. This echoes through time, recurring in Renaissance portraits and beyond, as a recurring motif, signifying contemplation and inner depth.