Getty Museum

Fritz Hohenzollern

Date

about 1572

Medium

Pen and ink, colored washes, tempera, and gold paint

Culture

German

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

In this portrait from family genealogy, the German nobleman Fritz Hohenzollern stands in a jaunty pose that displays his elaborately decorated armor and weapons, conveying both authority and wealth. Adding further to his grandeur is the large arch under which he stands. The simulated marble columns and the acanthus-leaf decoration recall ancient Roman triumphal arches like the Arch of Constantine, built to celebrate rulers or military victories. By framing the aristocrat within this classical architecture, the artist associates him with the great leaders of the Roman Empire.

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