Portrait series of the family Ketzel

General information
Original location Nuremberg
Current location Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, inv. no. Gm581
Artist Anonymous
Date (shortly) after 1509 (see remarks)
Material Panel (pine)
Dimensions 68 x 109 cm
Visual elements
Short description Panel divided into two rows of boths five fields. In the bottom right corner of each field, except for the bottom right two, which are empty, is a member of the Ketzel family displayed, full length, kneeling towards the viewer's right. On each portraits' left side, and of the same size as the portrait, their respective coat of arms. Above their heads are marks of the knightly orders of which the mentioned persons were members.
Number of pilgrims 8
Depicted pilgrims (from left to right, top to bottom)
Personal information
Name Heinrich Ketzel
Social status / profession Merchant (in the saffron trade), originally from Augsburg; Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the order of the lily or flower pot, the order of Cyprus, and of St Catherine
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Igelbrecht of Augsburg, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Heinrich Ketzel zug zum Heyligen Grab vnd auf Sant Katherina pergk Synay 1389 jar
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1389
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red Jerusalem cross
Other pilgrimages Sinai, monastery of St Catherine
Attributes other pilgrimages Wheel of St Catherine
Death
Date of death 14 September 1438 (mentioned on grave)
Location of grave Nuremberg, St Sebald Church
Image of grave North side (outside) of the west choir of the St Sebald church
Personal information
Name Georg Ketzel
Social status / profession Merchant; Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of Santiago de Compostela, of St Anthony of Henneberg, of the lily or flower pot of Aragon, of the Cypriotic sword
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Roth of Auerbach, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Jorg Ketzel zug zum heyligen grab mit margraf Friderich, churfurst auß der Marck 1453
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1453
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red Jerusalem cross
Other pilgrimages Santiago de Compostela
Attributes other pilgrimages Scallop of St James with a star
Death
Year of death 1488
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Georg was a grandson of Heinrich, Ulrich's brother, and Georg II and Wolf's father.
Georg Ketzel the Elder founded a chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in the hospital of the Holy Gost (Heilig-Geist-Spital). There still exists a stained-glass window carrying his and his wife's arms and order signs, together with a Jerusalem cross (GNM MM197).
Personal information
Name Ulrich Ketzel
Social status / profession Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the order of the Dragon, of the Cypriotic sword, of the lily or flower pot of Aragon, of St Anthony of Henneberg
Coat of arms Semicircular shield - in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Text Under the portrait: Vlrich Ketzel fur auf dem wasser auß dem niderland zum heyligen grab 1462 jar
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1462
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Jerusalem cross
Other pilgrimages Santiago de Compostela
Attributes other pilgrimages Scallop of St James with star
Death
Year of death Before 1484
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Ulrich was a grandson of Heinrich and the brother of Georg the Elder.
There exists a stained-glass window with his arms and insigna (GNM MM199)
Personal information
Name Martin Ketzel
Social status / profession Merchant; Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the Cypriotic sword, of the lily or flower pot of Aragon
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Heiden of Ulm, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Mertlein Ketzel zug zwir zum Heyligen Grab, mit hertzog Ott von Baim 1468 vnd mit hertzog Albrecht von Sachsen 1472
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1468(?) and 1476
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Two red Jerusalem crosses
Travel report Martin Ketzel, Pilgerfahrt ins Heilige Land (MS Heidelberg, Universitätsbibliothek, Cod. Pal. Germ. 117) written in Augsburg, between 1476 and 1486. The manuscript was originally in the collection of Elector Palatine Otto Henry, who made a pilgrimage himself as well.
Death
Year of death After 1507
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks The mentioned dates of pilgrimage in the texts are erroneous. According to his travel report, Martin went to Jerusalem in 1476, not 1472. The date of Martin's first pilgrimage is even more uncertain. The text mentions 1468, but duke Otto of Bavaria went in 1460.
Around Martin developed the legend that he had founded the Nuremberg Stations of the Cross, executed by the sculptor Adam Kraft. According to the legend, Kraft used the measurements of the Via Dolorosa taken by Martin in the Holy Land. Upon returning to Germany, Martin lost his notes and had to go on pilgrimage a second time. The story cannot be proven by any factual evidence, however.
Martin Ketzel belonged to the Augsburg-based branch of the family.
Personal information
Name Wolf Ketzel
Social status / profession Merchant; Flag bearer of the city of Nuremberg; Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the order of the lily or flower pot of Aragon, of the Cypriotic sword. Wolf fell out with the city after 1505 during a conflict with his family in law. He fled to Würzburg in 1515 and was removed from the Nuremberg city council in 1517.
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Tetzel, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Wolf Ketzel zug Zum heyligen grab mit hertzog Friderich von Sachsen churfurst vnd hertzog Cristoff von Baim 1493 jar
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1493
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1544
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Son of Georg the Elder, brother of Georg the Younger.
There exists a stained-glass window with his arms and insigna (GNM MM198).
Wolf Ketzel traveled together with Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony.
Personal information
Name Georg Ketzel
Social status / profession Merchant; took part in the army of Nuremberg during the Landshut War of Succession (1504); City counselor (Sch&oum;ffe) for the farmer's court (1510); Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the order of the Cypriotic sword
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel) Small shield: hard to see (Haller, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Jorg Ketzel zug zum heyligen grab mit hertzog Heinrich von Sachsen 1498 jar
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Medal of Georg Ketzel the Younger (Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, inv. no. Med270) also displays the signs of Jerusalem pilgrimage
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1498
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1533
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Son of Georg the Elder, brother of Wolf. Georg went together with Sebald, his cousin, and duke Heinrich of Saxony.
There exists a stained-glass window with his arms and insigna (GNM MM200)
Personal information
Name Sebald Ketzel
Social status / profession Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the Cypriotic sword
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Harsdörffer, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Sebolt Ketzel zug auch mit hertzog Heinrich von Sachsen zum heyligen grab 1498
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1498
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1530
Additional information related to this person
Personal remarks Great-grandson of Heinrich, brother of Michael. He accompanied his cousin Georg the Younger and duke Heinrich of Saxony on the pilgrimage.
There exists a stained-glass window with his arms and insigna (GNM MM201)
Personal information
Name Michael Ketzel
Social status / profession Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, of the Cypriotic sword
Coat of arms Big shield: in blue on a gold three topped mountain a silver long-tailed monkey, holding in its right hand a gold roundle and around its body a golden girdle and ring; crest: the monkey on the mountain.(in blauw op een gouden drieberg een zilveren meerkat met een gouden bol in zijn rechterhand en een gouden gordel met ring om zijn middel; helmteken: de meerkat op de berg) (Ketzel)
Small shield: hard to see (Marstaller, the family of his wife)
Text Under the portrait: Michel Ketzel zug zum heyligen grab mit graf Herman von Henenpergk 1503 jar
Other known portraits View of the Holy Land with prayer portrait of Frederick the Wise of Saxony (back)
View of the Holy Land with prayer portraits of the Ketzel family
Pilgrimages
Year of pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1503
Attributes Jerusalem pilgrimage Red Jerusalem cross
Death
Year of death 1505
Personal remarks Great-grandson of Heinrich, brother of Sebald. Michael was, as far as we know, the last Ketzel to make the Jerusalem pilgrimage.
Additional information
General remarks The Ketzel family seems to have been extremely proud of their family tradition of Jerusalem pilgrimage and their relation to the German high nobility. In case any one of them went on pilgrimage with a member of this nobility, it is mentioned in the accompanying text. It is probable that this was done in order to support the family's claims to enter the patriciate of Nuremberg, something that was refused to them for long. This would also explain the emphasis on all their knightly titles, displayed by symbols above the respective family members on the panel, the relations to other nobility, and the emphasis on family tradition and genealogy. This is something that is apparent from other visual objects from the Ketzel family, such as medals, grave slabs (see 1. Heinrich Ketzel), and a two-wing painting with the family's genealogy, also kept in the Germanische Nationalmuseum, inv. no. Gm582. On the back of the painted genealogy, the coats of arms of the Ketzel pilgrims are provided, along with a small view of the Holy Land. Moreover, Georg Ketzel the Elder founded a chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in 1459, in the courtyard of the hospital of the Holy Ghost.
Moreover, this panel seems to have been one in a campaign of visual propaganda which promoted the Ketzels as an honourably family of Jerusalem pilgrims. Besides the already mentioned panels, this consisted of stained glass windows, and the back of the panel with a view on Jerusalem and prayer portrait of Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony. On the back eight members of the Ketzel family are depicted, which was done in a similar fashion as this painting. It seems to have been an appropriation by the Ketzels (probably Wolf, who traveled together with Frederick). Moreover, the Ketzels had their own version of Frederick's piece made, which showed a view of the Holy Land with their prayer portraits.
This also provides clues for the dating of the panel. The inclusion of the coat of arms of Martha Haller, the wife of Georg II Ketzel, whom he married in 1509, provides a date post quem. It is likely, however, that the panel was not made too long after 1509, given its resemblance to other pilgrimage memorials of the family which can all be dated in the first few decades of the sixteenth century, and which are mainly linked to the influence of Wolf and/or Georg the Younger. Moreover, two fields are left open, probably for future inclusion of more Ketzel pilgrims, although the last Ketzel to make the pilgrimage (Michael) did so in 1503.
Literature
  • Aign, Theodor, Die Ketzel. Ein Nürnberger Handelsherren- und Jerusalempilger-Geschlecht (Neustad an der Aisch 1961)
  • Hoffmann, Friedrich Wilhelm, Die Sebalduskirche in Nürnberg: ihre Baugeschichte und ihre Kunstdenkmale (Vienna 1912), p. 141
  • Holterman, Bart, Pilgrimages in images: Early Sixteenth-century Views of the Holy Land with Pilgrims' Portraits as Part of the Commemoration of the Jerusalem Pilgrimage in Germany, unpublished master thesis (Utrecht 2013)
  • Löcher, Kurt, Carola Gries, et al., Die Gemälde des 16. Jahrhunderts (Nuremberg 1997), pp. 370-372
Description of the Germanische Nationalmuseum
Back to top
Disclaimer:
2012: web design by Charlotte Dikken and Bart Holterman (UU). This website was tested and works on Internet Explorer, Opera and Firefox and is best viewed on a fully maximized screen. Some of the features on this site use JavaScript.
This page was last updated on: .