847 - F. WITZLEBEN (*1802), Frederick William III at the theatre, Lithography

F. WITZLEBEN (*1802), Frederick William III at the theatre, Lithography Friedrich Hartmann von Witzleben (1802 Johannisburg - 1873 Niesky): King Frederick William III of Prussia in the theatre box, 19th century, Lithography Technique: Lithography on Paper Inscription: Inscribed below the image: "Kön. lith. Inst. Berlin. For the best of the flooded in Commission in the C. G. Lüderitz'schen Kunst-Verlagshandlung Berlin" Date: 19th century Description: This is a very unusual portrait in which von Witzleben depicts the King of Prussia, Frederick William III. Seen from behind in lost profile, he sits in a theatre box and gazes into the void. The curtains and the balustrade are only hinted at and are lost in a thin line. As a portrait of a ruler without a ruler, it is very interesting and also reveals much of the artist's own view of the king's body. This sheet, printed by the Königlich lithographisches Institut in Berlin, shows a humble monarch who presents neither a representative pose nor medals or splendour as a protective shield. Only the prominent chin allows identification. Otherwise, it could be any citizen drawn in secret by an artist. When a monarch is presented to his people in this way, featureless and downright elusive, it is hard to avoid a psychologising interpretation. Even to his contemporaries, he did not present himself as a dazzling personality. He was usually more of a representative than a ruler, and even today his name is not primarily associated with his person or his deeds, but with the cult surrounding his wife Luise, who died young. In this sheet, the king already appears as a forgotten man. Person: King Friedrich Wilhelm III., Prussia Hohenzollern (1770 Potsdam - 1840 Berlin) At the beginning of his reign, Frederick William III pursued a policy of neutrality, which led to Prussia's isolation and dependence on France, but also to territorial gains. Under the threat of danger, he ordered the mobilisation against Napoleon in 1806, who devastatingly defeated the Prussian army at the Battle of Jena and Auerstedt. The Peace of Tilsit in 1807 sealed Prussia's defeat with major territorial losses. To strengthen the remaining state, Frederick William III facilitated the Prussian reforms by Karl Freiherr vom Stein, Karl August von Hardenberg, Gerhard von Scharnhorst and Wilhelm von Humboldt. Only hesitantly did he join the wars of liberation against Napoleon in 1813 with the appeal To My People. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, he ensured the resurgence of Prussia and the reclamation of the old territories. However, he did not continue the state reforms, but pursued a policy of restoration in the spirit of the Holy Alliance with Russia and Austria. Frederick William III was considered popular because of his bourgeoisie and love marriage to Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Under his reign, the classicist expansion of Berlin by Karl Friedrich Schinkel began. Keywords: 19th century, Biedermeier, Portraits, Germany, Size: Paper: 35,4 cm x 24,9 cm (13,9 x 9,8 in), Depiction: 17,9 cm x 13,4 cm (7 x 5,3 in) Condition: Rather good condition. Condition commensurate with age, tiny rubbing in margin (above the inscription "Kön. lith. Inst. Berlin"). Slightly stained in margins, two smaller tears in white margin at lower margin.