Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm von Hohenzollern-Hechingen 1707

Martin Bernigeroth created this print of Friedrich Wilhelm von Hohenzollern-Hechingen sometime between 1685 and 1733. It gives us insight into the institutional and social history of the Holy Roman Empire, and its aristocratic families. Bernigeroth’s print presents Friedrich Wilhelm in a way that emphasized his nobility and military rank. He is wearing armor, which is a sign of his status as a military leader, and he is positioned against what looks like a military tent, further highlighting his role as General of the Cavalry. Consider the location of this print in the Rijksmuseum today; its enshrinement as a treasured cultural object elevates Friedrich Wilhelm and the family he represents. To understand this image better, we might research the history of the Hohenzollern family, the role of the military in the Holy Roman Empire, and the tradition of portraiture in aristocratic circles. This reveals the ways that art reinforces power structures and also gives us ways to think about alternative forms of social organization.