Portret van Eberhard Jodocus König von Königsthal 1802

This is Christoph-Wilhelm Bock's portrait of Eberhard Jodocus König von Königsthal. The print offers us a glimpse into the world of the late 18th century, a period defined by rigid social structures and emerging bourgeois identity. Von Königsthal's profile, framed by an oval, and powdered wig, speaks to the importance of social presentation and status. Yet, despite these conventions, there is a certain austerity in his gaze. Consider the changing dynamics of power at the time. As a consultant from the free imperial city of Nuremberg, Von Königsthal occupied a specific place in society, between the old aristocracy and the rising merchant class. Bock's print not only memorializes an individual, but also mirrors the larger shifts in European society. It invites us to think about the complex interplay between identity, representation, and social change during this pivotal era.