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Original fileS. Henricvs imperator
About This Work
An elderly, bearded Emperor Henry II sits propped up in a draped bed, reaching out to grasp the hand of his weeping wife, Cunigunde. A bishop in full vestments and various courtiers witness the scene, which represents the emperor returning his wife's 'dowry' of virginity to her family upon his death. The engraving uses fine cross-hatching to create a somber, intimate atmosphere within the vaulted imperial chamber.
Created by Aegidius Sadeler, the preeminent engraver of Rudolf II's Prague, this print reflects the Imperial court's fascination with the sacral history of the Holy Roman Empire. The theme of the 'Chaste Marriage' (Josephite marriage) aligns with early 17th-century mystical interests in spiritual purity and the triumph of the soul over the body.
Inscriptions(Latin)
S. HENRICVS IMPERATOR. Virginis intactum sine labe relinquo pudorem: Hanc ad me dotem detulit, hancce refert. Exploratores fidei testabitur ignes, Lædere non ausos Virginis esse pedes. Rarius in terris Phäethon non vidit et astris, Condita post mundi mœnia coniugium. Virgo simul vixit cum Cæsare, Cæsaris vxor, Inq; toro absq; toro, cúmq; viro absq; viro.
Translation
S. HENRY THE EMPEROR. The Virgin’s modesty I leave untouched by stain: This dowry she brought to me, and this she takes back. The fires of the examiners shall bear witness, Which dared not harm the Virgin’s feet. More rarely on earth and among the stars has Phaethon not seen, A marriage established after the walls of the world. The Virgin lived at once with the Caesar, Caesar’s wife, And in the bed without the bed, and with the man without the man.
Connected Texts
Aegidius Sadeler
Sadeler was the principal engraver at the court of Rudolf II and his successors, bridging the gap between Mannerist art and the intellectual culture of the Prague court.
Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg
The text references her 'ordeal by fire,' a traditional trial of purity where she walked unharmed over burning ploughshares.
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Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
width 156 mm x height 220 mm
religious
Linked Data
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