Portrait of Charles, Duke of Teschen 1790

Joseph Kreutzinger captured Charles, Duke of Teschen in paint, freezing a moment of aristocratic formality for eternity. The Duke's sash, a vibrant slash of red, speaks volumes. In the visual language of power, red is the hue of Mars, the god of war, and signals bravery and authority. Consider how this very shade blazes across centuries. Think of Roman emperors draped in togas of Tyrian purple, a dye whose production was so costly, its use became a symbol of imperial might. Now, observe how the Duke’s finery is not merely a display of wealth, but a conscious invocation of historical power. The sash, like the laurel wreaths of antiquity, has a life of its own, continually reborn in new contexts. Symbols are never static. They evolve, yet always carry echoes of their origin. This portrait is not just of a man, but a testament to the enduring human need to embody power through symbolic display.