Portret van Joachim Ernst von Brandenburg-Ansbach 1603 - 1637

Lucas Kilian created this engraving of Joachim Ernst von Brandenburg-Ansbach in the early 17th century. The print presents a powerful man, circled by ornate Latin script describing his titles. Engravings like this one served as early forms of mass media, circulating images of power and prestige across geographic and social boundaries. Kilian was part of a family of artists in Augsburg, Germany, a city with a strong printmaking tradition. His workshop, like many others at the time, operated within a network of patrons, publishers, and distributors, shaping the production and consumption of such images. This portrait embodies the visual codes of status: fine clothing, a confident gaze, and the carefully lettered description of Joachim Ernst's lineage and territories. Historians consult sources like guild records, inventories, and correspondence to reconstruct the social and economic context of art production. By understanding the institutions and networks that supported artists like Kilian, we gain insight into the social life of images in the past.