Stamboom van Frederik en Ottheinrich van Palts-Neuburg (plaat 8) 1535 - 1594

Jakob Clauser created this intricate print, "Stamboom van Frederik en Ottheinrich van Palts-Neuburg" using engraving to illustrate a family tree. Notice the detailed linework and composition, which is structured like a tree with branches extending to display portraits and heraldic symbols. The visual effect is a blend of natural form and symbolic representation, characteristic of the period. The organization of elements creates a complex semiotic system. Each portrait and crest is not merely decorative; they function as signs within a larger narrative. These visuals are carefully arranged to convey dynastic connections and historical contexts, challenging fixed notions of identity and lineage through a structured, yet organic format. Consider how the engraving technique itself, with its precise and deliberate lines, reinforces the idea of an ordered, historical record, even as the tree form suggests growth and evolution. This artwork thus functions on multiple levels, inviting us to decode its layers of meaning and appreciate its role in constructing and conveying identity.