An art historian has been awarded the DRUPA prize for her dissertation on the Medici self-portrait collection 1650-1723.

The 6000 Euros (A$10,650) prize from the giant German print trade show supports outstanding scholars at the Faculty of Philosophy at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf.

This year’s winner, Anna Maria Jonietz was honoured for her work showing how self-portraits in the Medici collection were deliberately integrated into art and science history discourses, opening up new perspectives on image politics and representation.

The prize was presented during a ceremony at the exhibition grounds attended by Messe management board chairman Wolfram Diener, DRUPA print technologies portfolio director Sabine Geldermann, university vice-rector Heidrun Dorgeloh and others.

Koenig & Bauer chief executive Andreas Pleßke, who is chairman of the DRUPA committee, congratulated the award winner in a personal video message.

In her dissertation, Jonietz analyses the Medici's collection of self-portraits as a strategic communication tool. Her approach to early Baroque image politics also builds a bridge to current issues surrounding media impact and public perception.

Born in Ratibor, Poland, she studied art history and Italian at Ruhr University Bochum, and began her dissertation after research stays in Munich, Düsseldorf and Florence.

The prize has been awarded since 1978.

The next DRUPA is set for May 9-17, 2028.