Portrait of the crown prince Friedrich Ludwig of Württemberg and his wife Henriette Marie of Brandenburg Schwedt 1716

Antoine Pesne painted this portrait of the crown prince Friedrich Ludwig of Württemberg and his wife Henriette Marie of Brandenburg Schwedt in the eighteenth century. The painting depicts a moment of domesticity for the royal couple. This seemingly conventional image of aristocratic life subtly exposes the power dynamics of the time. The presence of the Black servant, adorned with a feathered turban, highlights the reliance on enslaved people within European society. While the prince and princess are painted in great detail with bright colors, she blends into the background. Her lack of detail can be understood in the context of class. This artistic choice serves to reinforce social hierarchies, subtly reminding viewers of the racial and class differences that underpinned their world. The painting serves as a reminder of the complex web of relationships that sustained the aristocracy, and it invites us to consider the often-unacknowledged labor and exploitation upon which their lifestyle was built.