Portret van Friedrich August Kuhn 1754 - 1850

Ludwig Meyer made this portrait of Friedrich August Kuhn using etching techniques. Meyer and Kuhn were working in a Germany still emerging from the shadow of Napoleon. This portrait, with its formal pose and decorative border, reflects a desire for stability and order. The subject, identified as a doctor of philosophy in the etching, also tells us a great deal about the cultural aspirations of the Biedermeier era. The limited edition print meant this image was not for mass consumption. Instead, it was intended to circulate amongst the educated middle class. These were people who valued learning and self-improvement. The portrait served as a statement of their social status and intellectual pursuits. To understand this print fully, we need to investigate the printmaking industry of the time. We can find information about which artists were successful, and which ones struggled to make a living. By researching the institutions that supported artists and intellectuals, we can better appreciate the social conditions that shaped this image.