Portret van Frans I Stefan, Duits keizer 1752 - 1798

Hermann Jakob Tyroff made this print of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, in the 18th century. It exemplifies the conventions of power portraiture. But the proliferation of printed images also signals changes to the relationship between rulers and ruled. In absolutist regimes, portraits of monarchs served as propaganda. They affirmed dynastic legitimacy and cultivated an image of imperial grandeur. But the context of the Enlightenment – with its emphasis on reason and individualism – was changing the public role of art. Printmaking allowed for wider distribution of images and challenged the traditional control of the church and state over artistic production. The inscription below Francis' image, including Tyroff's name, attests to a burgeoning culture of authorship and artistic reputation. To fully understand this work, we need to delve into the social history of printmaking in the Holy Roman Empire and the changing relationship between rulers, artists, and the public in the age of Enlightenment.