Portret van Johann Christoph Gottsched 1757

This is Johann Martin Bernigeroth’s portrait of Johann Christoph Gottsched, made using etching. Gottsched, a towering figure of the German Enlightenment, sits posed in a chair. The trappings of wealth and status are all here: the voluminous wig, the ornate chair, the shelves crammed with books, and the suggestion of a silk suit. But Gottsched’s influence extended far beyond the material. As a professor and writer, he shaped German literary and theatrical tastes, advocating for reason and order in the arts. Yet, his insistence on rigid rules and French models sparked intense debates. Think of him as a kind of gatekeeper, deciding what was "good" German culture. This vision often excluded marginalized voices and alternative perspectives. It's a potent reminder of how cultural norms are constructed, challenged, and ultimately, transformed over time.