Portret van Veit Polantus op 49-jarige leeftijd 1569

This is an engraving of Veit Polantus at age 49, made in 1568 by an anonymous artist. The visual codes of the portrait, such as the sitter's clothing, hat, and the Latin inscriptions, all speak to Polantus's high social standing and intellectual prowess. The image was made in the Holy Roman Empire, a region characterized by a complex web of political and religious institutions. Polantus was a doctor of both laws in the Palatinate, which was one of the electorate states of the Empire. The imagery reflects the values and concerns of the ruling elite of the time. The inclusion of religious motifs suggests that the artwork might have been intended for a religious or courtly setting, or that Polantus wished to signal his piousness. As historians, our understanding of the image is contingent on further research to better understand the social structures that underpinned the creation and circulation of this kind of portraiture.