Portret van Paul Georg Imhof

About this artwork

Portretmedaillon geflankeerd door personificaties van Hoop en Voorzichtigheid. Tekst in het Latijn in de cartouche, in de banier en bij de emblemen.

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Mathäus Küsel captures the likeness of Paul Georg Imhof within an elegant oval medallion, a format popular in seventeenth-century portraiture for its classical associations with medals and coins. Created between 1664 and 1681, the print exemplifies the Baroque era’s taste for symbolic portraiture, where the sitter’s identity is enhanced by allegorical figures. Flanking the central image are personifications of Hope and Prudence, virtues that likely reflect Imhof’s character or aspirations as understood by his contemporaries. Küsel’s precise line work demonstrates the technical demands of engraving, allowing fine detail and tonal gradation to be reproduced across multiple impressions. Latin inscriptions appear in the surrounding cartouche, banner, and emblems, inviting viewers to interpret moral or commemorative messages typical of the period’s learned culture. Such prints circulated among educated audiences, serving both as personal tributes and as vehicles for displaying status and intellectual refinement. Measuring 263 by 174 millimeters, the work’s modest scale suited it for inclusion in albums or private collections, preserving Imhof’s memory through a blend of portraiture and emblematic storytelling.

About the Artist

Mathäus Küsel · 1629–1681

Matthäus Küsel (1629–1681) was a distinguished German copper engraver who achieved prominence as court engraver to the Holy Roman Emperor, earning the prestigious title of imperial court engraver (Hofkupferstecher). Born into the renowned Augsburg engraving and goldsmith family Küsel, Matthäus represented the height of German reproductive engraving in the Baroque period. His extensive oeuvre encom...