Sigmund Gabriel Holtzschuher, 1575-1652, Citizen of Nuremberg 1642

This silver medal portraying Sigmund Gabriel Holtzschuher, a citizen of Nuremberg, was made by Johann Bartholomäus Braun sometime between 1584 and 1684. The cool grey of the silver lends a somber tone to the portrait, fitting for a distinguished gentleman of the era. The material itself speaks to Holtzschuher’s status; silver was a valuable commodity, and its use here signifies wealth and importance. The process used to create this medal would have involved a high degree of skill, with the artist carefully carving the design into a die, which was then used to strike the metal. The crisp details, from the intricate lace collar to the texture of his beard, demonstrate not only the artist's mastery but also the value placed on craftsmanship in the period. But beyond the aesthetic qualities, this medal offers a glimpse into the social fabric of 17th-century Nuremberg, a time of growing commerce and the rise of a wealthy merchant class. The act of creating such a medal was a way of preserving status, immortalizing Holtzschuher as a respected member of his community, and reminding us that even seemingly simple objects can carry deep social and cultural significance.