Portret van Filips van Hessen before 1546

This print depicts Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, and was made by Cornelis Anthonisz. in the Netherlands, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. The inclusion of Philip’s coat-of-arms and the inscription ‘by the grace of God’ suggest that the image emphasizes his legitimate right to power. The Reformation was gaining momentum during Philip’s lifetime, and he played a significant role in establishing the Protestant cause within the Holy Roman Empire. The print makes no direct reference to the religious debates of the time, but we might consider it in relation to broader concerns about social order and authority. In times of great political and religious upheaval, images of rulers often served to promote the idea of stability and continuity. To fully understand the print’s social role, we might research the broader context of printmaking in the Netherlands, or investigate the political symbolism of heraldry in the 16th century. Such research can reveal the complex ways in which art engages with the social conditions of its time.