Portrait of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand
Medium
Brush and brown wash over graphite underdrawing.
Dimensions
6 3/4 X 4 5/8 in. (17.1 x 11.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.19.89
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate portrait drawing captures Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick and a prominent Prussian military leader of the late 18th century. Created by French artist Jean-Baptiste-François Bosio a neoclassical sculptor and skilled draughtsman known for precise, elegant figures, the work depicts the sitter in a dignified pose, likely emphasizing his martial prowess through the inclusion of a sword—a symbol of nobility and command. Though undated, it reflects the era's fascination with heroic portraits amid the turbulence of the French Revolutionary Wars, where the Duke played a key role...