Handgreep van zwaard en zestien ontwerpen voor juwelen, gespen, heften van zwaarden en knop voor een stok 1695

Joseph Friedrich Leopold created this print, "Handle of a Sword and Sixteen Designs for Jewelry, Buckles..." sometime between 1688 and 1726. It’s an etching, so a design scratched into a metal plate, inked, and printed onto paper. The image presents designs for luxury goods. The emphasis is on sword handles and ornate jewelry, demonstrating wealth and status in the 17th and 18th centuries. These extravagant items reflect the era's social hierarchy, where appearances reinforced social rank. Leopold, working in Augsburg, Germany, catered to a market eager for such displays of affluence. Considering the institutional history of art, we might ask if Leopold’s designs subtly challenge or reinforce established norms. Researching his patrons and the distribution of his prints might tell us more about his role in Augsburg’s artistic and social landscape. The historian’s task here is to delve into these contexts, piecing together the social narratives embedded in Leopold's artwork.