Portret van Albrecht V, hertog van Beieren 1579

This engraving by Peter Weinher depicts Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria, but it tells us much more than just what the Duke looked like. Considered within the context of 16th-century Bavaria, the image becomes a complex statement of power and identity. The elaborate frame, complete with heraldic symbols, classical figures, and Latin inscriptions, asserts Albrecht's authority through visual codes of nobility and virtue. The inclusion of angels and a cross also hints at the Duke's role as a defender of the Catholic faith during the Reformation. To understand the full meaning of this portrait, we would need to delve into the history of the Wittelsbach dynasty, the political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire, and the religious tensions of the time. Resources such as archival documents, dynastic histories, and theological treatises would shed light on the social conditions that shaped both the production and reception of this image.