Door knocker (one of a pair) 1595 - 1635

This bronze door knocker was made by Hubert Gerhard, a Dutch sculptor active in Germany during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In its time, a door knocker such as this was more than a functional item; it was a proclamation of status. Consider the visual codes at play: the lions acting as heraldic supporters on either side of the shield, the putto at the top, all emblems of power and prestige. The absence of a coat-of-arms suggests this was probably made for general sale rather than commissioned by a specific family. The opulence on display here can be understood in relation to the social hierarchies of early modern Europe. Artists such as Gerhard were patronized by wealthy elites who used art to affirm their dominance. Records show that in 1581 Gerhard entered the service of Hans Fugger, of the Fugger banking family. Such family archives as these, along with payment records and workshop inventories, allow us to piece together the precise social conditions of artistic production.