Portret van Karel Alexander van Brandenburg-Ansbach 1792 - 1816

This is Johann Carl Bock’s portrait of Karel Alexander van Brandenburg-Ansbach. Though the date of the artwork is unknown, Bock’s lifetime situates the work in the late 18th to early 19th century, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. Here, the artist memorializes a figure of power during a time when the concept of power itself was being challenged. Karel Alexander, as depicted, is the embodiment of aristocracy; his gaze direct, attire formal, and chest adorned with a star. While Bock’s portrait is in line with traditional representations of power and status, we can also see a subtle negotiation of identity taking place. Karel Alexander was the last Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Without an heir, he sold his principality to Prussia. What does it mean to memorialize a man on the cusp of dynastic collapse? Perhaps this portrait captures a moment of transition. A marker of fading aristocracy, rather than established power.