Portret van Gottfried Wegner - Christian Daniel Pietesch

A formal eighteenth-century engraving of the theologian Gottfried Wegner, featuring detailed period attire and Latin biographical inscriptions.

This engraving by Christian Daniel Pietesch depicts the theologian Gottfried Wegner. The portrait follows the conventions of early eighteenth-century academic and clerical iconography. Wegner is presented within an oval frame, a common device in printmaking of the period, which serves to isolate the subject and provide space for surrounding decorative elements. The sitter wears the traditional clerical attire of the time, including a dark cassock and white bands, reflecting his status as a professor and court preacher.

The surrounding oval border contains a Latin inscription, a feature typical of commemorative portraits intended to document the subject's professional titles and academic standing. Below the portrait, a cartouche provides further biographical details, including his birth in Olsna and his death in Königsberg in 1709. The inclusion of laurel branches at the base of the oval frame adds a classical touch, symbolising the subject's scholarly achievements.

Pietesch employs a precise engraving technique, using varied line weights to define the textures of the subject's clothing and the soft modelling of his facial features. The cross-hatching within the oval provides depth, while the clear, legible lettering of the text below ensures the print functions as both a visual record and a biographical document. This work is representative of the portrait prints produced in the German territories during the late Baroque era, where the focus remained on the clear identification of the individual and their social or intellectual rank. The print is a clean example of the period's technical proficiency in copperplate engraving, maintaining a balance between the portrait and the extensive textual information provided.