Portret van de hofmeester c. 1848 - 1854

Christian Heinrich Gottlieb Steuerwald created this portrait of the court master using graphite. The sitter is formally presented, and appears to be self-assured. This portrait provides insights into the social hierarchies of the time. Court masters held significant administrative roles. Their representation in art reflects their status within a structured social order. Steuerwald, trained in formal art academies, applied his skills to depict not nobility, but those who served them, suggesting a subtle shift in artistic patronage. The detailed rendering of the court master's features and attire also indicates the rising importance of individual identity within a changing social landscape. The artwork’s presence in a museum today also speaks to the evolving role of institutions in preserving and interpreting social histories. To further understand this work, one might research the archives of the court to determine the identity of the sitter and Steuerwald’s relationship with them.