Portret van Paul Georg Imhof 1664 - 1681

Mathäus Küsel made this portrait print of Paul Georg Imhof, a nobleman from the region of Silezië, in the 17th century. The print combines an allegorical representation with that of a specific individual, which tells us about the public role of art in this period. Imhof is framed by allegorical figures and symbolic devices, such as the inscription ‘Spe vigilum horas fugo’ which translates as ‘I, hope, drive away the hours of the watchman’. These devices, combined with the Latin text at the bottom, reveal the cultural values and beliefs circulating in European noble circles. The imagery speaks to the sitter's virtues, status, and aspirations. To understand this artwork better, historians look at emblem books and other visual sources of the period. These provide insight into the symbolic language that was used to construct the identities of elite individuals and social groups. The meaning of art, therefore, is always contingent on its social and institutional context.