Naturalizing the Past: The Genealogical Vision of Northern Europe, 1450–1630
Early modern genealogies were often built on fabrication—claims of origins and lineage easily lacked sufficient evidence, and even evidence in hand did not guarantee authenticity. Visual images filled in the gaps. This dissertation discusses the role of visual culture in the establishment and circulation of genealogy in northern Europe during the long sixteenth century. Images of trees, plants, and land played a crucial role in justifying genealogical claims and the political and cultural assumptions embedded in them. Genealogists and artists involved in these projects drew on images of nature rendered with a strong commitment to naturalism. These images transformed often hazy pasts into scientific truths. Focusing on both images of and after nature, this dissertation revisits family trees, heraldry, portraits, plant drawings, and devotional images through the lens of genealogical vision.
