Portret van Karel Theodoor van Beieren

Friedrich Ludwig Neubauer created this print of Karel Theodoor van Beieren using etching, sometime between 1767 and 1828. The print shows Karel Theodoor in an oval frame, adorned in robes of state, and underneath him is a lengthy inscription detailing his various titles and territories, together with a coat of arms flanked by lions. Born into the House of Wittelsbach, Karel Theodoor inherited the Electoral Palatinate in 1742, and then became Elector of Bavaria in 1777. The portrait is a clear demonstration of power, reinforcing Karel Theodoor’s position through established visual codes of wealth, authority and heritage. In order to fully understand an image such as this, the historian needs to study the codes of portraiture in 18th century Bavaria, together with the visual language of heraldry and the way the aristocracy wished to present themselves.