Portret van Ernst I von Braunschweig-Lüneburg after 1630

Peter Troschel created this engraving, "Portret van Ernst I von Braunschweig-Lüneburg," a portrait of Ernst I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. During the 17th century, portraiture was deployed to assert power, status, and lineage. Troschel’s engraving does this through the Duke’s depiction, and the use of heraldry, inscriptions, and symbolic elements. Ernst's stern gaze and formal attire reflect his authority, but it’s also worth noting that the Duke converted to the Lutheran faith in 1530. The inscription accompanying the family crest mentions his conversion and implies that his power comes not only through birthright but also from religious conviction, a significant aspect of identity and governance in that era. How might religious identity intertwine with political authority? How might the personal and the political shape one’s self-perception? How does this portrait affirm traditional representations of power? This portrait offers a glimpse into the intersections of power, faith, and identity during a transformative period in European history. It invites reflection on the ways in which individuals and their legacies are constructed and remembered through art.