Drie portretten van Niccolò Machiavelli 1727

This engraving titled 'Drie portretten van Niccolò Machiavelli' was made by Johann Friedrich Christ, who died in 1756. Actually, this portrait depicts Johannes Jacobus Vitriarius, a professor of law. During the 18th century, the creation and circulation of portraits like this one played a crucial role in shaping public perception and identity. The sitter's gaze meets ours directly, inviting a connection. His clothing signifies his status, and perhaps even more importantly, his wig indicates adherence to social norms. But this also might speak to a tension between public image and personal identity. What does it mean to be portrayed? What aspects of oneself are highlighted, and which are suppressed? The creation of such a piece may have been a negotiation between artist, patron, and sitter, and an interplay between individual desires and social expectations.