Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor” now? Victoria and Albert Museum, Europe 1600-1815, Room 6, The Lisa and Bernard Selz Gallery, London. Yes, on view now. Checked September 25, 2026.
London, United Kingdom
RoomEurope 1600-1815, Room 6, The Lisa and Bernard Selz Gallery
Open now· until 10:00 PM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
This plaque is one of nine survivors from an original set of thirteen depicting members of the Habsburg family who had been elected Emperor. This title consciously recalled the imperial power of the rulers of Ancient Rome, and the Emperor, elected by German princes, was expected to act as the secular equivalent of the Pope and defend the Catholic religion. In 1512 this religious aspect was reinforced when the imperial title was modified to 'Holy Roman Emperor'. This alteration may have been prompted by concerns about the emergence of the Protestant challenge to the Catholic religion. From 1438, when Albert II was elected Emperor, the title was virtually hereditary in the Habsburg dynasty. This set of portraits was probably made for someone with strong sympathies for the Habsburg dynasty.
Read on
The numbering of the images shows the series would have included a portrait (now lost) of Emperor Frederick III, who had usurped the imperial throne in 1314. Holes in the frame of the plaques suggest they were attached to furnishings, such as a cabinet. Series of historical or illustrious figures were a fashionable decorative device in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Such sequences reminded the viewer of the lessons that could be learned from the study of the past.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Details
- Accession number
- A.17-1977
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
