Ladislaus of Prague, Baron of Windhag 

This bronze medal depicting Ladislaus of Prague, Baron of Windhag, was created by Friedrich Hagenauer in the first half of the 16th century. These portrait medals were fashionable amongst the Northern European elite. The medal is a visualization of social status. Notice how Ladislaus is defined not just by his image, but by his title: "Baron of Windhag". The fine details of his clothing communicate his wealth and position within the rigid social hierarchy of the time. Hagenauer’s choice of bronze as a medium is itself a social signifier: more permanent and precious than a painting, but less so than gold or silver. These medals also tell us about the place of art within society. Wealthy patrons like Ladislaus supported artists like Hagenauer, commissioning works that reinforced their own status and power. A historian interested in understanding the role of this object could investigate civic records of Prague and Windhag, family trees, and records of heraldry. The medal is a potent symbol of social relations in 16th century Europe.