Portrait of Friedrich Wilhelm II., King of Prussia (1744-1797)

Portrait of Friedrich Wilhelm II.King of Prussia. The Prussian monarch is shown here as a chest pattern to the right. He looks past the viewer on the left. His clothing consists of a cloak and thicker coat and armor underneath. In addition, the depicted wears no wig, but short, white hair. The image is rectangular. Below it appears on a sign the inscription with its name and stand. The inscription is separated from a crowned coat of arms. Friedrich Wilhelm II was king of Prussia from 1786 until his death. Friedrich II (BS-III) was his uncle, who also used him as his heir to the throne. Friedrich Wilhelm II was considered culturally loving and patrons. One of his closest advisers for domestic politics was Johann Christoph Woellner (BS-III), who had studied in Halle. The leaf was executed as a copper engraving by the Swiss copper engraver Johann Jakob von Mechel (1764-1816). With the template it is a little more complicated; here are two signatures. The artist F. Doopler is said to have painted the portrait. The next signature could refer to the miniaturist and draftsman Johann Friedrich Beer (1741-1804) or his son, Johann Peter Beer (1782-1851). The LWL Museum of Art and Culture in Münster even attributes the design to the Berlin copper and miniature painter Antoinette Tassaert (1768-1822), since she was married to the royal Prussian chamber musician Joseph Beer (1744-1812) and the signature could also refer to her. In any case, one or more of these persons should have drawn the draft for copper engraving, possibly with reference to Doopler. The LWL Museum also believes that the leaf should be part of the coronation, a protocol of a coronation ceremony, Leopold II or Franz I. Signature: F. Doopler Pinx. Beer del. J. J. v. Mechel sc: Caption: FRIDERICH WILHELM DER II Koenig von Preussen and Churfürst von Brandenburg. (delHändel-Haus Halle Foundation)