Peter de Grote huilt om de dood van Karel XII 1789

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this etching, Peter the Great Mourning the Death of Charles XII, sometime in the 18th century. It depicts Peter the Great, the Russian Tsar who modernized Russia, lamenting the death of his adversary, King Charles XII of Sweden. Notice the intimacy of the moment, as the Tsar wipes his eyes, seemingly alone in his grief. Yet, two figures stand behind him, marking the event as staged, as if for the public eye. Consider the complex relationship between these two men; they were not only leaders of their countries but also symbols of different paths of European power. Peter, determined to bring Russia into the modern age, and Charles, the warrior king of Sweden, each represented a distinct vision for the continent. The engraving captures a moment of personal emotion set against a backdrop of political and historical significance. It makes you wonder if Peter’s tears are for a fallen foe, or perhaps also for the end of an era.