Portret van Michael Ignaz Schmidt 1785

Christoph-Wilhelm Bock made this print of Michael Ignaz Schmidt using etching in 1785. Bock was working in the German lands, where the Enlightenment was changing the relationship between the church and political power. The image of Schmidt, a Catholic priest, is framed by a laurel wreath. Below this, the print shows books, coins, and what looks like an angel etched into stone. What is being said about the role of the church through these images? On the one hand, the laurel wreath honors Schmidt. On the other hand, the other images speak to secular and financial matters that might undermine the church's spiritual authority. How are these images, meant for public consumption, contributing to conversations about what role the church should play in German society? To better understand this print, historians would research the role of the Catholic church in the German lands at the time. We might look at the kinds of books that were being published and the economic circumstances of the church at the time. Understanding the image in its social context helps us interpret its meaning.