Portret van Antonius Brassavola 1574 - 1612

Pieter van der Borcht made this engraving of Antonius Brassavola sometime between 1545 and 1608. It forms part of a tradition of portraiture that served to immortalize figures of note, but also to make them visible across Europe. This image creates meaning through its visual codes. The Latin text indicates that the intended audience was a highly literate elite. Brassavola is framed by cherubs and decorative flourishes that suggest opulence and luxury, hinting at the sitter's social status. The book and the text displayed below signal Brassavola’s status as an educated man of letters. This portrait, held today in the Rijksmuseum, is an eloquent testimony to the Renaissance humanist culture that valued individual achievement. Social historians of art will examine archives and libraries to learn more about this work. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional contexts, which we can only reconstruct through careful research.