Portret van Johann Philipp Eysel (I) 1687 - 1743

This engraving portrays Johann Philipp Eysel and was created by Johann Georg Mentzel. Without a precise date, we can still situate this portrait within the late 17th to early 18th century, a period marked by rigid social hierarchies and the rise of scientific rationalism. Eysel’s identity as a medical doctor, anatomist, and surgeon is etched into the very frame of the image, literally circumscribing his personhood. The elaborate wig, lace collar, and formal attire signal his status and profession, yet it is impossible to overlook the racial and class dimensions of intellectual life during the Enlightenment. Access to education and scientific pursuits was largely confined to white, affluent men. Portraits like this upheld a system of representation that privileged certain identities while marginalizing others. Consider how the visual language of power, here exemplified through dress and occupation, intersects with broader histories of exclusion and inequality.