Portret van Hermann Heinrich Engelbrecht 1741

This is a portrait of Hermann Heinrich Engelbrecht, made by Johann Martin Bernigeroth sometime in the mid-18th century. The medium is engraving, and it was a common format for reproducing images of prominent people. This portrait gives us a window into the world of academia and the professional class in the German lands of the period. Engelbrecht is identified as a Doctor of Law and a Syndic of the University of Gryphiswalda, now in Poland. The powdered wig, the oval frame, and the inscription below signal the sitter's status. But such images weren't simply neutral records. They actively constructed reputations and reinforced social hierarchies. To understand this further, one would need to delve into the archives of the University and the records of the legal institutions in the area. What role did Engelbrecht play in the social and political life of his community, and how did images like this one serve to bolster his position? The art historian’s job is to situate images like this within their specific social and institutional contexts.