Vier kardinaalshoeden op stokken, plaat 10 - Nicolaas Hogenberg

A detailed sixteenth-century etching by Nicolaas Hogenberg depicting a ceremonial procession of cardinal hats during the coronation of Charles V.

This etching by Nicolaas Hogenberg, a Flemish artist active in the early sixteenth century, captures a specific segment of a formal procession. The work is part of a series documenting the ceremonial entry of Emperor Charles V into Bologna for his coronation in 1530. The composition focuses on the ecclesiastical attendants, specifically those carrying the cardinal hats, known as galeros, mounted on long, ornate poles.

The figures are depicted in profile, riding horses that are adorned with elaborate harnesses. Hogenberg employs a precise, linear technique to define the folds of the heavy robes worn by the riders and the textures of the horse tack. The background remains largely empty, a common convention in such processional friezes, which directs the viewer's attention to the rhythmic movement of the figures across the horizontal plane. The inclusion of Latin inscriptions at the base provides context, identifying the roles of the participants within the papal chapel.

Technically, the etching demonstrates the artist's ability to manage complex groupings of figures and animals within a restricted space. The cross-hatching used to create shadow and volume on the garments shows the influence of contemporary printmaking practices in the Low Countries. As a historical document, the print offers insight into the visual culture of the Renaissance, where such processions served as public displays of political and religious authority. The work is valued for its clarity and its role in preserving the visual details of sixteenth-century ceremonial life. The print remains a primary source for historians studying the intersection of art and statecraft during the reign of Charles V.