09:28 Nov 4 

To be honest, "visual paradigm" ist just a bit too much IMHO. Think of the reader: What phrase will get the meaning across in the simplest possible way AND be understood intuitively?

21:41 Nov 3 

as you said it's about using the/some images/elements from the 15th and 16th century. This era (or elements of it) is/are supposed to be shown, evoked or sketched if you will. It's similar to a realistic portrayal or a (maybe realistic) Nachbildung (replica, emulation, recreation), yes? Depictions, depicted worlds, depicted eras of world history, depicted histories...

19:52 Nov 3 

That's good.

18:49 Nov 3 

Combining Jutta and Michél's suggestions: "visual paradigm" ?

17:33 Nov 3 

At the risk of being flippant, the validity (or lack thereof) of a piece of market research isn't really the issue :) if the client wishes to evoke the golden age of something in order to sell something else, far be it from me to argue with them.
Feel free to substitute something more...up-to-date which can function as "Abbildungswelt", however!

17:22 Nov 3 

Are the examples you give actually taken from the document you're translating? I'm a bit confused as to why a market research document would be talking about the 15th and 16th centuries.