1768 - 1817
Portret van Friedrich Samuel Gottfried Sack
Johann Heinrich Lips
1758 - 1817Location
RijksmuseumListen to curator's interpretation
Curatorial notes
Johann Heinrich Lips created this portrait of Friedrich Samuel Gottfried Sack using etching. Lips was active during a time of great social and political upheaval with revolutionary sentiments. The piece reflects the identities and histories of individuals connected to its creation. Sack, a prominent figure of his time, appears in the tradition of formal portraiture. Yet, this image can also be understood within the context of Enlightenment ideals, which emphasized reason and individualism. Lips’ skilled technique captures Sack’s likeness and perhaps hints at his intellectual character. The etching provides a window into the world of 18th-century European society, where class and status were visually communicated through portraiture. Consider the emotional experience of encountering this image – a tangible link to a specific moment in time and a reflection on the individuals who shaped it.