Plate G: Election and Coronation of Emperor Maximilian II 1612

This anonymous engraving captures the grandeur and ritual of Emperor Maximilian II's election and coronation. In the 16th century, political power was deeply intertwined with religious authority, a connection this image vividly illustrates. Notice how the composition reinforces a rigid social hierarchy. The Emperor and other elites are placed on elevated platforms, visually separating them from the commoners seated below. Gender and class further defined one's position, with women largely absent from the main scene, reflecting their exclusion from formal political processes. The artist seems to ask, who is included and who is excluded from these displays of power? What narratives are being amplified, and whose voices are silenced? The dense detail and formal staging emphasize the importance of lineage and tradition in legitimizing power. This print serves as both a historical record and a carefully constructed narrative of imperial authority. It reminds us to look critically at the stories told through images and to consider the perspectives they may obscure.