Christoph Putz von Kirchameg, Mint Master in Prague 1590 1584

Karl von Bieberstein created this silver medal of Christoph Putz von Kirchameg, Mint Master in Prague, in 1590. The image captures Putz in profile at the age of thirty, as the inscription tells us. As Mint Master, Putz was responsible for the practical business of currency production, a vital role in Prague, which served as the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. It gives us a window into the status of artists and officials at court. As a member of the Habsburg court, he was part of a complex network of patronage, centered on the Emperor Rudolf II. Prague in this period was a center of artistic production, but also of the occult sciences. The medal itself reflects the cultural and economic priorities of the court. By studying court records, economic data, and the biographies of both Putz and Bieberstein, we can better understand the social and institutional contexts in which this image was created and what it meant to its original audience.