Portret van Wolfgang Rupert, Graf von Rindsmaul 1674

This engraving by Johann Alexander Böner immortalizes Wolfgang Rupert, Graf von Rindsmaul. Enclosed within an oval frame, Rindsmaul’s gaze is both direct and reserved. The oval, a motif stretching back to antiquity, here symbolizes containment and perhaps a controlled presentation of self. Consider its echoes in ancient Roman portraiture, where emperors were similarly framed, projecting authority and timelessness. This shape, recurring through the ages, evolves from a symbol of divine wholeness to one of aristocratic prestige. Note the subject’s hands resting calmly, a gesture seen across centuries in portraits of nobility, subtly conveying power through composure. Such gestures resonate with a collective memory, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, evoking a sense of established order and refined status. This visual language is not linear. The oval and the composed hands—ancient symbols—are continuously re-contextualized, each time subtly altering their psychic charge.