Germany / Poland / Silesia - Decorative medallion in a wooden frame with a portrait of Martin Opitz von Boberfeld

Germany / Poland / Silesia - Decorative medallion in a wooden frame with a portrait of Martin Opitz von Boberfeld
33.19g. 72mm. As seen. Martin Opitz von Boberfeld (1597–1639) was a German poet and literary theorist, recognized as a key figure in 17th-century German literature and the founder of the Silesian school of poetry. Born in Bunzlau, Silesia (now Bolesławiec, Poland), he studied French, Dutch, and Italian poetry, which influenced his literary style. Opitz is best known for his treatise "Buch von der deutschen Poeterey" (1624), which established rules for German poetry, promoted the use of the German language in literature, and emphasized structured poetic forms. He played a significant role in elevating German as a literary language and shaping the Baroque literary movement in Germany. In 1637, Opitz moved to Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), where he served as a court poet and official historian under the city's patronage. He remained there until his death in 1639 during a plague outbreak. His time in Danzig marked the culmination of his efforts to integrate European literary influences into German literature while serving as an intellectual and cultural bridge between Central and Western Europe.