Portret van Johann Weissbeck 1684

This engraving of Johann Weissbeck was made by Christoph Weigel, likely in Germany, during the late 17th or early 18th century. Weissbeck was a preacher in the town of Freiberg, now in Slovakia, and the print commemorates his long service in that community. The image employs a visual language of status and piety. Weissbeck is shown holding a book – presumably the Bible – and he is dressed in the severe black robes of his office. Behind him is a bookshelf, a symbol of learning, and a crucifix. This is a portrait made to reinforce the authority of the church and the importance of religious devotion. But of course, these images don't just appear spontaneously. Weigel was part of a well-established printmaking industry that supplied images to a growing market of consumers. Prints like this circulated ideas and reinforced social hierarchies. To fully understand its significance, one could research the history of Freiberg and the role of the church in local politics. We could examine the book trade and the market for portrait engravings in the period. Art history always depends on this kind of social and institutional context.