Artwork
Hofmannswaldau, Christian Hofmann von
Hofmannswaldau, Christian Hofmann von is an unspecified painting by Rudolf (czynny we Wrocławiu 1933-1947), fot. Jagusch. It dates from 1945 and is held in the collection of the Library of the Wroclaw University.
About this work
This painting shows a bust of Christian Hofmann von Hofmannswaldau in a vertical oval frame.
He was a poet and president of the Wrocław City Council.
The frame includes a coat of arms and inscriptions about his life and death.
To learn more about the style of this portrait, look at the work of artist: Jagusch, Rudolf (czynny we Wrocławiu 1933-1947), fot.
Overview
The work is a printed reproduction of a seventeenth‑century oil portrait depicting Christian Hofmann von Hofmannswaldau, a poet and civic leader who served as president of the Wrocław City Council from 1677 until his death in 1679. The image is presented as a bust within a vertical oval frame, measuring roughly 21 × 16.8 cm.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait commemorates Hofmannswaldau’s dual role as a literary figure and municipal official. Inscriptions surrounding the bust record his tenure, the date of his death—18 April 1679—and his heraldic arms, underscoring his status within the city’s political and cultural hierarchy.
Technique & Style
The image is a paper print derived from a common negative (inventory photo 7310) of an original oil painting. The reproduction preserves the oval composition, the subtle modeling of the bust, and the decorative coat of arms, typical of baroque portraiture that emphasized dignified presentation through restrained yet formal framing.
History & Provenance
The print bears a reverse‑side seal identifying the photographer as R. Jagusch of Breslau, a studio active in the city between 1933 and 1947. It is part of the National Museum in Wrocław’s Department of Documents, catalogued among the museum’s collection of historical visual records.
Context
Created in the aftermath of Hofmannswaldau’s death, the portrait aligns with seventeenth‑century practices of memorializing prominent citizens through portraiture. The inclusion of civic titles and heraldry reflects the period’s emphasis on public service and personal legacy within the urban elite of Wrocław.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rudolf (czynny we Wrocławiu 1933-1947), fot. Jagusch
Rudolf Jagusch worked in Wrocław between 1933 and 1947. He made photographs of city scenes and portraits during those years. His surviving prints show shopfronts, street corners, and local figures in black-and-white.…
