Portrait of Johann Anton Koch 1821 - 1826

Hieronymus Hess made this graphite drawing of Johann Anton Koch, an artist then living in Rome, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The image gives us insight into the social position of artists in this period. Koch is portrayed without the trappings of wealth. Instead, he wears what appears to be working clothes and a simple cap. The pipe suggests a relaxed and informal setting, perhaps even Bohemian. This hints at a shift in the artist's social status. No longer merely a craftsman, the artist is increasingly seen as an individual with unique vision. This move was aided by new institutions such as art academies and public museums that helped to professionalize art and create new opportunities for artists to display and sell their work. In understanding this work, historians can consult sources such as letters, exhibition reviews, and institutional records to reconstruct the changing social conditions of art making in the 19th century.