Portret van Hans Schäufelein 1794 - 1799

Christoph Friedrich Theodosius von Schad created this print, "Portret van Hans Schäufelein," likely towards the end of the 18th century. It's important to note that Schad lived during a time of significant social and political upheaval, influenced by Enlightenment ideals and the rise of nationalism. Here, we see a rendering of Hans Schäufelein, who was a prominent painter and printmaker from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. During that time artists were shifting away from purely religious themes to more humanistic representations. Schäufelein, as a master in Northern Renaissance art, would have been navigating the changing landscape of artistic expression. The image makes me wonder about the relationship between artist and subject, separated by centuries, and what motivated Schad to depict Schäufelein. This print invites us to consider how artists grapple with legacy and how representations of individuals can evolve over time.