Portret van August Wilhelm Antonius Neidhardt Graf von Gneisenau 1840 - 1855

Editor: This is an engraving, "Portret van August Wilhelm Antonius Neidhardt Graf von Gneisenau," made sometime between 1840 and 1855 by Tobias Falke. He looks every bit the imposing general. All those medals! What can you tell me about the history surrounding this piece? Curator: It’s interesting how the portrait evokes the heroic ideal that was carefully constructed during the period of Romanticism, which itself was a reaction to the Enlightenment. Editor: Reaction how? Curator: Well, while the Enlightenment championed reason and individualism, Romanticism emphasized emotion, nationalism, and the power of historical narratives. Consider Gneisenau’s role in the Napoleonic Wars. Portraying him with such gravitas, bedecked in medals, served to solidify a specific nationalist narrative in 19th-century Prussia, didn't it? It wasn’t simply about recording his likeness, but about constructing a hero for public consumption. The distribution of his image would certainly have helped with the war effort. Editor: So you’re saying it’s less about him as a person, and more about what he *represents* to the Prussian public? Curator: Precisely! These portraits became powerful tools in shaping public opinion and fostering national identity, think of how leaders are presented today. Editor: I see, the medals aren’t just decorations, but symbols strategically deployed. Thank you! I’m starting to think differently about historical portraiture. Curator: And that's the point, isn't it? To constantly re-evaluate how these images participate in a broader cultural and political landscape.