Portret van Justus Lipsius 1750 - 1811

This is a portrait of Justus Lipsius, made by Georg Christoph Schmidt as an engraving. Lipsius was a prominent 16th-century Flemish philologist and humanist, and his likeness was often reproduced in prints. The image shows us more than just the man. Note the oval frame, the carefully rendered textures of his clothing, and the Latin inscription, all visual cues that construct Lipsius as a figure of learning and authority. Schmidt was working in the 18th century, and these features tell us about the enduring power of humanist ideals within the institutions of European scholarship. To understand this image fully, we would need to research the printmaking industry of the period. The social function of these images tells us about the networks of intellectual exchange and the role of portraiture in shaping historical memory. These images provide an opportunity to delve into social, cultural and institutional history.