Portret van Joseph Anton Stephan Riegger after 1778

Peter Mayr created this print of Joseph Anton Stephan Riegger using etching. The oval frame symbolizes eternity, encapsulating Riegger's likeness for posterity. Laurel wreaths, classical symbols of honor and victory, adorn the base, suggesting Riegger’s esteemed status and accomplishments. Consider how such wreaths, echoing ancient Roman triumphs, reappear in Renaissance portraiture and even modern-day academic insignia. They signify a continuous human desire to mark achievement and confer lasting recognition. The arrangement carries a deep emotional and psychological weight. It is a visual assertion of lasting impact, tapping into our subconscious desire for remembrance. The portrait captures a moment, fixing it within the eternal frame of cultural memory. This cyclical progression of symbols, resurfacing and evolving across time, shows our persistent need to honor and immortalize.