Portret van Christoph Gottfried von Peller 1743

Johann Wilhelm Windter created this print of Christoph Gottfried von Peller, a city official, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. The visual codes in the print offer an insight into the social and institutional life of the period. Christoph is presented as a figure of authority. Notice the trappings of power: the elaborate wig, the formal attire, the architecture behind him. These all indicate his status within the social hierarchy of the Holy Roman Empire. Civic leaders used the rituals of portraiture to reinforce their prestige. The portrait commemorates his role as a public servant, highlighting the importance of civic duty. To fully understand the print, we can investigate records of civic ceremonies, genealogical archives, and histories of the institutions in which Peller served. By researching the historical context, we can better understand the print's original function and meaning. The value of art lies in the way it reflects and shapes the social and institutional conditions of its time.