Portret van Valentin Kötzler c. 1690

This portrait of Valentin Kötzler was produced by Carl Clemens Kretschmann. Kötzler was a doctor, city official, and counselor from Nuremberg, now in modern-day Germany. The image creates meaning through visual codes that reflect his status. The Latin text above the image tells us he was a counselor, born in 1499 and deceased in 1564. Kötzler’s dress is formal and his coat is lined with fur, demonstrating wealth and prestige. The latin text at the bottom references ‘Caesar Carolus’, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, likely referencing Kötzler's diplomatic work. Nuremberg, at the time, had a history of powerful merchant families and was deeply involved in the political and religious conflicts of the Reformation. To fully understand the work, we can research the history of Nuremberg and study the diplomacy of the Holy Roman Empire. Art provides insight into the values and beliefs of past societies and the social conditions that shape artistic production.