Portret van August III van Polen 1733 - 1763

This is Johann Martin Bernigeroth's portrait of August the 3rd of Poland, created using etching techniques sometime between Bernigeroth's birth in 1713 and death in 1767. As a ruler during the Enlightenment, August the 3rd navigated a complex web of power, caught between the expectations of nobility and the stirrings of revolutionary thought. His identity as both King of Poland and Elector of Saxony placed him at a fascinating intersection of cultures and political ideologies. Bernigeroth's print captures August the 3rd adorned in armor, and framed with ermine. This is no doubt intended to convey power, yet, the rigid formality of the portrait also hints at the weight of expectation, the loneliness, and the burden of leadership. The portrait invites us to reflect on the multifaceted nature of identity and how it is shaped by history, power, and personal experience.