Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig van Pruisen, later keizer Wilhelm I van Duitsland 1816

This is Friedrich Wilhelm Bollinger's portrait of Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig of Prussia, later Wilhelm I, rendered as an engraving. Bollinger created this portrait in an era of shifting European power dynamics. The image, with its careful attention to Wilhelm's youthful features and the detailed rendering of his military regalia, subtly hints at themes of succession and imperial destiny. Consider the implications of depicting a young royal in military attire. Does this choice speak to the expectations placed on young men of power, or does it reflect Prussia’s militaristic culture at the time? Think about how the symbols of power are carefully presented here, creating an official identity, while perhaps also masking the personal and emotional dimensions of the subject. This portrait serves as a statement of identity and power, carefully composed within the strictures of its time.