Portret van Simon Peter Gasser 1716 - 1721

Curator: Looking at this intriguing portrait, what springs to mind first? Editor: It feels like a stage set—the curtain, the weighty fabric, the elaborate wig. It speaks of someone aware of presenting themselves to the world, perhaps crafting a specific image. Curator: Indeed. We are observing "Portret van Simon Peter Gasser," an engraving crafted between 1716 and 1721, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. Martin Bernigeroth captured Gasser, a professor and assessor from Magdeburg. Notice the inclusion of his coat of arms. Editor: Coats of arms—such potent symbols. The visual language tells you instantly about lineage and authority. I wonder about the choice to depict him in this particular manner. It leans heavily into the visual rhetoric of power. What did the printing of an image like this do for a man’s standing at the time? Curator: These engravings played a pivotal role in shaping public perception, reinforcing the subject’s societal position, and amplifying their influence. Print media ensured that visibility reached far beyond his immediate circle. Editor: So, visual permanence as political performance. It makes you consider the psychological weight carried by such formal imagery in that era. Everything –the wig, the gaze, even the placement of the hands – is there to convey status. Curator: Exactly. Bernigeroth clearly understood how symbols resonated with his audience. Every element here—the lettering, the crest, the pose itself—reinforces cultural continuity and projects a specific image across time. Editor: It’s remarkable how art of this period, ostensibly straightforward in its depiction, speaks volumes about social structures and anxieties related to status. You start to ponder how much of our present image-obsessed culture draws directly from those roots. Curator: Absolutely. Images serve as persistent carriers of societal narratives, continuing their quiet work over centuries. This portrait is no exception. Editor: Considering its complexities, even what feels initially conventional invites some quite compelling analysis. Curator: It is like archaeology in paper. Thank you.