Principe o doge 1598

Christoph Krieger’s ‘Principe o doge’ is an engraving, likely made as an illustration for a book. It depicts a figure of authority, and the title, which translates as ‘Prince or Doge’, tells us something about this individual's elevated social position. The picture is framed by a border that is both decorative and symbolic. Winged cherubs, skulls, and stylized foliage give us further information about the themes that the artist wanted to explore. The contrast between the innocence of the cherubs and the stark reminder of death speaks to the weighty responsibilities of leadership. The Doge wears elaborate robes which denote his rank and wealth and would have been instantly recognizable to the book’s contemporary audience. Given the artist’s name, it is highly likely that the book was produced somewhere in the German-speaking lands. It seems that the image is about the nature of governance and the burden of leadership at a time of religious and political conflict in Europe. To understand the image better, we might turn to primary source documents, such as books on statecraft, costume books, and emblem books. The historian's role is to show us that artworks are products of particular social conditions.