Portrait of Paulus Lautensack the Elder 1552

This is Hanns Lautensack’s 1552 engraving, Portrait of Paulus Lautensack the Elder, now at the Metropolitan Museum. At the time this portrait was made, the printing press had spread rapidly throughout Europe, allowing artists like Lautensack to achieve widespread recognition through the relatively inexpensive medium of printmaking. Here, Paulus Lautensack is framed by an inscription noting that he is 73 years old. As we observe the portrait, we are invited to meditate on the sitter’s wizened face and long beard, symbols of wisdom and experience. The artist’s decision to portray his father in such detail reflects the cultural values of the Renaissance, a time when there was a growing interest in the individual and the human form. In a period marked by social and religious upheaval, we see a desire to capture the essence of a person. The gaze is direct, the lines of age and experience etched into the face. How does this image expand our understanding of identity and representation in the 16th century?