Portret van Matthias Hoë von Hoënegg - Lucas Kilian

A detailed 1630 engraving by Lucas Kilian portraying the theologian Matthias Hoë von Hoënegg, featuring precise line work and formal composition.

This engraving by Lucas Kilian depicts Matthias Hoë von Hoënegg, a prominent Lutheran theologian and court preacher to the Elector of Saxony. Produced in 1630, the work exemplifies the technical precision of seventeenth-century German printmaking. Kilian employs a rigorous system of cross-hatching and line work to define the textures of the subject's clothing, the soft volume of his beard, and the subtle contours of his face. The portrait is contained within an oval frame, a common convention for formal ecclesiastical likenesses of the period.

The composition includes a cartouche at the base containing Latin verses, which serve to identify the subject and acknowledge his professional standing. The inclusion of a book in the subject's hand reinforces his role as a scholar and man of the cloth. The surrounding architectural elements, such as the plinth and the scroll-like frame, provide a sense of structure and formality. Kilian, a member of a well-known family of engravers from Augsburg, demonstrates his mastery of the burin through the clarity of the lettering and the controlled modulation of light across the figure. The print reflects the sober, intellectual atmosphere of the era, focusing on the gravity and status of the sitter rather than decorative embellishment. This piece is a representative example of the portraiture used to document the figures of the Reformation and the subsequent religious conflicts in Europe.