Portret van Karl Ludwig von Bruck 1849 - 1874

Johann Nepomuk Passini created this portrait of Karl Ludwig von Bruck using lithography. Lithography democratized the creation of images. Prints like this one allowed for the wide circulation of political figures' likenesses to an unprecedented degree. This portrait of Karl Ludwig von Bruck, an Austrian Minister of Commerce, was created at a time of great political and economic change in Europe. As Minister, Bruck was a key figure in the development of Austria's economic policy, promoting free trade and industrialization. The image creates meaning through the visual codes of power and authority, the carefully chosen pose, and the formal attire. These elements would have been instantly recognizable to viewers at the time. It conveys a sense of stability and progress during a period of rapid modernization. The history of art is contingent on its social and institutional context. To understand this portrait better, one might research the economic policies of the Austrian Empire in the 19th century and compare it to other images and texts that shaped public opinion at the time.