Portret van Louise van Pruisen 1850 - 1930

This drawing depicts Louise of Prussia and was made by an anonymous artist. The image of Louise, sprawled playfully on what seems to be the grounds of a family estate, speaks to notions of childhood innocence and privilege. It is interesting to think about what kind of family, in what period, would be likely to commission a drawing like this. Here, we might start thinking about European royalty as patrons of the arts. Consider the composition, the setting, and the subject. It may be important to learn something about Prussia at the time it was made. Who were the key political players? What were the dynamics between the monarchy and its constituency? The social and institutional context in which art is made is crucial to its meaning, and, as historians, we can use diverse research resources to better understand it.