Hans van Aachen

The artist Hans van Aachen is depicted in a central oval medallion, dressed in an elaborate ruff and holding a gold chain. He is flanked by a muscular figure of Hercules and a personification of Painting, while Fame sits atop the monument holding a trumpet. Winged putti sketch and paint at the top corners, and a small circular scene at the base illustrates a narrative of artistic patronage.

Hans van Aachen was a principal court painter to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, a city that served as the late Renaissance center for Hermeticism, alchemy, and natural philosophy. This print celebrates the 'virtuoso' status of the artist within the imperial circle, where the pursuit of 'Philocalos' (the love of beauty) was intertwined with the intellectual and esoteric interests of the Rudolfine court.