Portret van aartshertog Maximiliaan Franz van Oostenrijk (1756-1801), later aartsbisschop en keurvorst van Keulen en prins bisschop van Münster 1778

This is Jean-Étienne Liotard’s pastel portrait of Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria, who lived from 1756 to 1801. In the late 18th century, powerful families were expanding their influence through ecclesiastical appointments. Maximilian Franz would eventually become Archbishop and Elector of Cologne, as well as Prince-Bishop of Münster. Liotard's soft pastel technique captures the Archduke’s youthful features with remarkable subtlety. The luminous quality of the pastels, combined with the delicate rendering of his clothing, creates a sense of refined elegance, which speaks to the elite status of the sitter. Maximilian Franz's identity was deeply intertwined with the religious and political structures of his time. As a member of the Habsburg dynasty, his life was shaped by the expectations of his noble birth. This portrait not only captures the likeness of a man but also reflects the complex interplay of power, religion, and identity in 18th-century Europe.