In the last few years Bernhard Prinz argues with the portrait Photography. Thereby results images of young people, who are removed from reality of live to put them into a new carefully/anxious composed context. The portrayed people are all put on stage by the artist. He searches people, dresses and places them in front of an monochrome background. No conventions are existing in this portraits: Prinz doesn´t show any individual or personal features. He is looking for people, personifying the cultural engraving and his own ideas of images. As the former series of portraits, like ”Blessure” (1995/96) and “Krux” (1997), the new series “Ikonen” is showing again situations, which are not referring to reality. Prinz is using iconographical elements of the image of the Virgin in the new series, to stage young women in an allegorical way, like an altar-piece. The artist connects the idea of the image of the Virgin with profane, mostly pale and sickly looking women to blend common life with sanctity. Thus cultural engraving is more important than individuality or personal surroundings for Bernhard Prinz.