Portret van Philipp Ludwig Wenzel von Sinzendorf 1728 - 1781

Claude Drevet’s portrait of Philipp Ludwig Wenzel von Sinzendorf was made as an engraving, a medium that allowed for relatively easy reproduction and dissemination in its time. Looking at this imposing image, ask yourself: what visual and cultural codes are in operation here? Drevet’s portrait performs the cultural work of picturing its subject as a man of authority and consequence. We see a man of obvious wealth wearing the trappings of high office, from his elaborate wig to his ermine-trimmed robe. What’s more, he is rendered as a kind of monumental figure, framed by an architectural setting that seems to confirm his status as a pillar of the social order. Engravings such as this one functioned within a sophisticated gift economy, where the circulation of images reinforced social bonds among elites. As historians, we can learn more about this period through the study of costume, heraldry, and social rituals.