Where can I see Kaiser Karl V. (1500-1558) als Fünfzigjähriger in ganzer Figur?

Kaiser Karl V. (1500-1558) als Fünfzigjähriger in ganzer Figur is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Kaiser Karl V. (1500-1558) als Fünfzigjähriger in ganzer Figur?

Kaiser Karl V. (1500-1558) als Fünfzigjähriger in ganzer Figur is associated with Mannerism.

Kaiser Karl V. (1500-1558) als Fünfzigjähriger in ganzer Figur by Francesco Terzi (1550)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, portrayed as a fifty-year-old man in a full-length view.

The painting depicts Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, portrayed as a fifty-year-old man in a full-length view. Created in 1550 by Francesco Terzi, the work functions as a formal state portrait intended to capture the ruler's physical presence at a specific milestone in his life. The composition presents the emperor as the central and sole subject, emphasizing his status and authority through the grand scale of the image, which measures 204 cm in height.

As a commissioned likeness from the final decade of the emperor's life, the artwork serves as a definitive visual record of Charles V's appearance during his later years of rule.

Technique & Style

The work is classified as a painting and takes the form of a full-length portrait of Charles V. According to the catalogue record, it was produced in 1550 by Francesco Terzi and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The recorded dimensions are 204 cm in height by 108 cm in width, indicating a tall, vertical format suited to a standing, whole-length figure.

The available sources confirm only the basic medium and format of the work. No information is provided regarding specific materials, support, paint handling, surface condition, or stylistic qualities, and these aspects cannot be substantiated from the supplied records.

History & Provenance

Created in 1550, this full-length portrait of Emperor Charles V at the age of fifty was executed by the artist Francesco Terzi. The work depicts the monarch as its primary subject and is classified as a painting within the portrait genre. Historically associated with Schloss Ambras in Innsbruck, the artwork currently resides in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The piece measures 204 cm in height and 108 cm in width.

The painting is part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum's collection in Vienna, catalogued under inventory number 1922/2-13. It has been displayed in exhibitions at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and was featured in the exhibition 'Portraits of the Renaissance' at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in 2003.

The work is listed as inventory 1922/2-13 at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It was included in the 2003 exhibition 'Portraits of the Renaissance' at the same institution.

Context

Francesco Terzi's 1550 portrait of Charles V created at Schloss Ambras Innsbruck entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum collection and established a precedent for formal imperial portraiture in Central European courts. Contemporary scholars note its influence on later Habsburg state portraiture through the modeling of authority in full-length formats. The work's technical scale of 204 by 108 centimeters reinforced its ceremonial function within Renaissance portraiture traditions.

Art historical analysis situates this painting within Terzi's broader oeuvre of courtly representations while highlighting its role in shaping visual narratives of Habsburg power during the mid-sixteenth century. Its enduring presence in museum displays reflects sustained scholarly and public interest in imperial imagery from this period.

Legacy

The portrait of Charles V by Francesco Terzi, painted in 1550, has been displayed at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna since its acquisition, influencing scholarly interpretations of Habsburg imagery and serving as a reference point for later depictions of imperial authority. Its representation of the emperor at fifty has informed studies of Renaissance portraiture and the visual culture of the Holy Roman Empire.

Overview

This 1550 portrait by Francesco Terzi depicts Emperor Charles V at the age of fifty in full length, showcasing the ruler in attire and pose that convey authority.

Erzherzog Ferdinand von Tirol (1529-1595), Jakob Seisenegger

Artist & collection

Artist

Francesco Terzi

Francesco Terzio, or Francesco Terzi (ca. 1523 – 20 August 1591) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period. He was born in Bergamo. He was a pupil of Giovanni Battista Moroni. He painted two pictures a Nativity,…