Pauselijke tiara en kandelaren, plaat R - Nicolaas Hogenberg

A detailed sixteenth-century etching by Nicolaas Hogenberg depicting a ceremonial procession with the papal tiara and candelabra.

This etching is part of a series by Nicolaas Hogenberg documenting the funeral procession of Margaret of Austria, or alternatively, the coronation procession of Emperor Charles V. The work captures a specific segment of the ceremonial cortege, featuring figures on horseback carrying the papal tiara and tall, ornate candelabra. The composition is organised in a linear, frieze-like manner, typical of sixteenth-century processional prints designed to record the scale and order of state events.

At the top of the print, a cartouche contains French text detailing the lineage of Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Castile, providing historical context for the figures depicted. The heraldic shields flanking this text further identify the noble houses involved. Hogenberg employs a precise, clean line quality to delineate the costumes, the trappings of the horses, and the architectural details of the candelabra. The figures are rendered with a focus on their ceremonial roles rather than individual portraiture, reflecting the documentary purpose of the series.

The print serves as a record of the visual culture and pageantry of the Habsburg court. The inclusion of Latin inscriptions at the base, such as 'TYARA PONTIFICIA', confirms the specific items being carried, ensuring the viewer understands the symbolic weight of the objects within the procession. The artist, a member of a family of engravers and painters, demonstrates a mastery of etching techniques that allowed for the reproduction of such complex, multi-figure scenes for a wider audience of scholars and collectors. This print remains a valuable source for the study of early modern ceremonial dress and the iconography of power in the sixteenth century.