Portrait Carl Hildebrand, Baron of Canstein (1667-1719)

Portrait of Carl Hildebrand, Baron of Canstein. The German court officer is shown here as a chest image to the left. His head is turned to the right and he patterns the viewer. He wears a long, curly wig, as well as simple, slightly decorated clothing and a cloak that covers the rest of his clothes. The portrait is oval. It is embedded in the middle of the leaf on a high base and is surrounded by a curtain above, probably a reference to its cloak in the effigy. A coat of arms is attached to the pedestal plinth. The base is flanked by two small scenes in round medallions on the left and right. On the left is a kind of workshop in which a book is opened on a table. One can read the following words: “BIBLIORUM MYRIADES.” The following words are engraved in the base: “CONSILIO ET SUMTU.” On the right, a bookcase can be seen in the background in the medallion. Here, too, a table with a book on it is in the foreground, one reads clearly: “HARMONIA.” A curtain reveals the whole thing. Here too, something appears on the base below: “LUDICIO ET STUDIO.” On the main front of the pedestal, the inscription with the name, rank and life data of the depicted is attached. Carl Hildebrand has studied at the universities of Wittenberg and Frankfurt (Oder). Through detours he met August Hermann Francke (BS-III 438, among others). His commitment to establish a deaconical institution in Halle (BS-IIa 45) lead Canstein to build the first Biblical Hospital in Halle to enable the less wealthy citizens to study the Holy Scriptures. The present copper engraving was executed by Johann Georg Wolfgang (1662-1744), since 1704 Hofkupferstecher in Berlin, around 1720. As a template he chose a portrait of the German painter Johann Heinrich Schwartz (1680-1707), which he painted in 1706. After the death of Canstein, Francke edited the sermon on the corpse, which was decorated with this portrait as a frontispiece. Signature: Schwartz Pinxit 1706. J. G. Wolffgang S. Reg. Sculpsit Berol. 1720. Letter: The Savior (?) is well known. Freyherr, Mr. Carl Hildebrand, Freyherr of Canstein, Lord of the freyen domination Canstein, Schönberg, Neukirch, Dalmitz & c drilling the styl.vet: 15 styl.nov. 4 Aug. 1667. Death of 19th Aug. 1719. (Stiftung Händel-Haus Halle Foundation)