Portrait of Lazarus von Schwendi, commander in the Army of the Holy Roman Empire.

This impressive full-length portrait of Lazarus von Schwendi, a distinguished sixteenth-century military commander and imperial statesman, was engraved by Dominicus Custos after a design by Giovanni Battista Fontana. Von Schwendi is shown standing in full armor, facing forward with a baton in his right hand and his left hand resting on his hip. He is framed within an architectural niche flanked by ornate Corinthian columns, evoking the grandeur of classical portraiture and emphasizing both the elegance and authority conveyed by his finely crafted armor.

Printed in 1605 as part of the third edition of Armamentarium Heroicum, this portrait was created to document and celebrate the renowned arms collection of Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, preserved at Ambras Palace near Innsbruck. The series, comprising 125 engravings after drawings by Fontana, was intended as a visual catalog of historic suits of armor once owned by notable military figures. Each portrait is paired with a Latin biography written by the Archduke's secretary, Jacob Schrenck von Notzing. Combining engraving, etching, and woodcut techniques, the print reflects the artistic and intellectual ambition of the period and serves as both a record of von Schwendi's personal martial legacy and a testament to the cultural significance of early European arms collecting.