L. von Borstell 1816

This is Christian Schule’s portrait of L. von Borstell. Portraits like these reflect the era’s fascination with identity and status. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europe was in turmoil, with the rise of nationalism and shifting class structures. Von Borstell, a Prussian General, would have been at the center of these changes, his identity deeply intertwined with the military and aristocracy. Schule's portrait immortalizes the Major General, but what does it say about those who were not in positions of power? How might those without status have viewed this depiction of authority? The print serves as both a historical record and an artifact of social dynamics. It invites us to reflect on how power is visualized and how individuals are remembered – or forgotten – in the grand narratives of history.