Portret van Jacob Reihing - Clemens Ammon

A 17th-century engraving by Clemens Ammon featuring a formal portrait of the theologian Jacob Reihing, presented within a classical oval frame.

This engraving by Clemens Ammon depicts the theologian Jacob Reihing, a figure associated with the University of Tübingen during the early 17th century. The portrait follows the conventions of academic and ecclesiastical iconography of the period, presenting the subject within a formal oval frame. Reihing is shown in a three-quarter view, wearing the traditional attire of a scholar, including a prominent ruff collar that frames his face. The precision of the line work, characteristic of the engraving techniques employed by Ammon, defines the texture of his clothing and the subtle modelling of his features.

The surrounding oval border contains Latin text identifying the subject as a professor of theology at the University of Tübingen. Below the frame, a couplet in Latin serves to introduce the viewer to the scholarly authority of the man portrayed. The composition is balanced and restrained, focusing the viewer's attention on the intellectual character of the sitter. Ammon, a German engraver and publisher active in Frankfurt, produced numerous portraits of contemporary figures, often contributing to the visual documentation of the intellectual class in Europe during the Thirty Years' War era.

This print is a fine example of the portrait engraving tradition, where the clarity of the burin work conveys both the physical likeness and the social status of the individual. The paper shows the natural ageing expected of a work from this period, maintaining the integrity of the original plate marks. It provides a clear window into the aesthetic and cultural values of the early Baroque era, where portraiture functioned as a primary medium for recording the appearance and professional identity of academics and clergy. The work remains a clear record of Reihing's appearance and his role within the academic community of his time.