Portret van Carl Ludwig, Freiherr von Wildenstein 1726

This is a portrait of Carl Ludwig, Freiherr von Wildenstein, made with etching and engraving by Georg Lichtensteger, who died in 1781. Such images were vital for the consolidation of power in the 17th and 18th centuries. Here, Carl Ludwig is encased in an oval frame, with an inscription that speaks to his titles and connections to the ruling house of Brandenburg-Culmbach, in what is now Germany. Note how the subject is presented in armor, a visual code that links him to military strength. Portraits like this weren't simply neutral likenesses; they were tools used by the elite to broadcast their status and legitimacy. They reinforced the rigid social hierarchy of the time. Further research into the Wildenstein family and their role within the political landscape of Brandenburg-Culmbach would reveal more about how this image functioned.