Portret van Georg Rudolph, Freiherr von Haslang c. 1648 - 1663

This is Johann Pfann's portrait of Georg Rudolph, Freiherr von Haslang, created using engraving techniques in the 17th century. The portrait is an oval bust, encased in a ring of German text, complete with a coat-of-arms below the subject. The image offers a glimpse into the stratified society of the Holy Roman Empire. As a Freiherr, or baron, von Haslang occupied a notable position in the noble class; his dress and accoutrements signal power, status and masculinity, deeply rooted in hereditary privilege. While Pfann's skilled hand immortalized von Haslang, consider the power dynamics at play. What choices did von Haslang make about his self-presentation? What was Pfann's role in constructing and perpetuating an image of aristocratic authority? This portrait serves as a reminder of the visual strategies through which power has been, and continues to be, asserted and maintained.