Omlijstingen en cartouche met vlaggen 1678 - 1724

This print of frames and cartouches was made by Johann Christoph Hafner, likely in Germany, sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. It’s an etching, probably intended as a template for other artists or artisans to copy. But this image also tells us something about the social and political context in which it was made. The cartouche is decorated with flags, busts, and allegorical figures, all visual devices associated with power, status, and political authority. Busts of powerful leaders were status symbols and this cartouche is designed to provide that effect. This was a period when European states were consolidating their power and projecting that power through visual imagery and courtly display. Prints like this were part of that culture of display, offering a way for artists and craftsmen to participate in it. Understanding images like this requires us to know something about the social and political history of the time, about the institutions of art and patronage, and about the ways in which images were used to create and maintain power. Resources in archives and libraries can help us understand the relationship between art and society in this period.