Frederick the Great c. 1840

This pen and ink drawing, "Frederick the Great," created in 1840 by German artist Philipp Veit, depicts the Prussian king standing tall with a crown and ornate clothing. The figure is depicted in a romanticized style, with an emphasis on the grandeur of the subject. The piece is held in the Städel Museum and exemplifies Veit’s skill in portraiture and historical figure representation, reflecting the 19th-century interest in historical figures and their symbolic significance.