Portret van Theodor Schmalz 1803 - 1825

This is Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger's portrait of Theodor Schmalz, made as an engraving on paper. In its visual presentation, the print emulates the conventions of formal portraiture. The oval frame, the sitter's pose, and the inscription all suggest a desire to create a lasting image of a man of status. Made in Prussia, the portrait reflects the values of its time, with its references to the sitter’s institutional roles: Privy Prussian Councilor of Justice and Professor of State and Public Law. Portraits such as these played a part in the construction of social hierarchies. They confirmed the sitter’s status and celebrated the institutions to which he belonged. Art historians often use institutional records to better understand portraits like these. What were the professional responsibilities of the sitter? How did institutions such as the Prussian justice system or the university shape artistic production? The meanings of art are contingent on these contexts.