Artwork
Metzler, Johann
Metzler, Johann is an unspecified painting by Rudolf (czynny we Wrocławiu 1933-1947), fot. Jagusch. It dates from 1945 and is held in the collection of the Library of the Wroclaw University.
About this work
Overview
The portrait depicts Johann Metzler (1494–1538), a noted lawyer and classical philologist who served as starosta of the Duchy of Wrocław in 1534. Rendered in a three‑quarter view within a vertical oval, the image is accompanied by a heraldic shield in the lower left corner and a series of Latin inscriptions indicating his name, titles, and the years 1534 and 1538.
Subject & Meaning
Metzler’s status as a legal official and scholar is emphasized through the inclusion of his coat of arms and the formal titles inscribed above the portrait. The dates likely mark his appointment and death, suggesting the work functioned as a commemorative likeness, preserving his civic and intellectual contributions for posterity.
Technique & Style
The original is a reproduction of a mid‑seventeenth‑century oil painting, transferred onto paper as a print measuring 21.3 × 16.6 cm. The oval format and the restrained, dignified pose reflect the conventions of portraiture for officials in Central Europe during the period, focusing on clarity of identity rather than elaborate background detail.
History & Provenance
The print derives from a common negative (catalogued as photo 7277) and bears a back‑seal indicating it was photographed by R. Jagusch in Breslau. It is part of the National Museum in Wrocław’s Department of Documents, where it is preserved as a documentary image of the original oil work.
Context
Portraits of municipal officials like Metzler were common in the duchies of Silesia, serving both as personal memorials and as visual affirmations of civic authority. The inclusion of heraldic symbols aligns the work with contemporary practices of linking personal achievement to noble lineage.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rudolf (czynny we Wrocławiu 1933-1947), fot. Jagusch
Rudolf Jagusch worked in Wrocław between 1933 and 1947. He made photographs of city scenes and portraits during those years. His surviving prints show shopfronts, street corners, and local figures in black-and-white.…
