Portret van Johann Friedrich Mayer 1687 - 1743

This is a portrait of Johann Friedrich Mayer, made by Johann Georg Mentzel, likely sometime in the early 18th century. Mayer was a figure of some standing, as the inscription tells us, holding positions in the church and in academia. This print, made in Germany, offers a fascinating glimpse into the way status was projected in the late Baroque period. Mayer is dressed in the dark robes of his office, and his voluminous wig and elaborate collar mark him as a man of substance. He gestures towards an open book, alluding to his learning and piety. Behind him, a curtain and a shelf of books create a suitably impressive backdrop. To understand this image, we might delve into the archives of the institutions Mayer was associated with, piecing together the social and religious context in which he lived and worked. By situating this portrait within its historical moment, we can begin to understand the values and aspirations of the society that produced it.