Portret van Georg Friedrich Schnaderbach 1701 - 1707

This is Johann Georg Beck’s "Portret van Georg Friedrich Schnaderbach," an engraving likely created around 1700. Beck was working during a time when printmaking was becoming increasingly important for disseminating ideas and portraying social status. Schnaderbach's identity as a man of status is carefully constructed through the traditional symbols of power: the ornate frame, the formal attire, and the detailed inscription. Yet, there's also a tension in how identity is presented here. The inclusion of German text praising his soul and spiritual wealth suggests a desire to define him not just by earthly status but by his inner qualities. It reflects the era’s complex negotiation between religious values and emerging secular identities. This portrait is an artifact of its time, capturing the negotiations of identity and status in the early 18th century. It reminds us that even in formal portraiture, there's a story of how individuals wished to be seen and remembered.