Portret van Christian Lehmann Possibly 1723 - 1760

This is Christian Albrecht Wortmann’s ‘Portret van Christian Lehmann,’ created sometime between 1680 and 1760. This portrait immortalizes Lehmann in the visual language of power and intellect. The subject, Christian Lehmann, stands as a figure of authority, his gaze steady and assured. The trappings of his status – the scholarly robes, the meticulously styled wig, and the symbolic backdrop of books – speak to his position within the 18th-century social hierarchy. Lehmann was a prominent theologian and church leader, suggesting that this image served to reinforce his authority within his community. Consider, though, the subtle ways identity is constructed here. Lehmann's vestments denote a separation, a symbolic distancing from the everyday. The portrait operates within established conventions but consider the role that images play in either perpetuating or challenging societal norms. How might we, as viewers, engage with such historical representations, acknowledging their power, and limitations?