Portret van Rooms-Duits keizer Karel VII Albrecht op zijn paradebed 1745 - 1747

This print by Ferdinand Bichler depicts the late Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII Albrecht lying in state. The image is a fascinating document of the rituals surrounding death and power in 18th-century Europe. Consider the visual codes at play. The body is elevated, surrounded by candles, watched over by allegorical figures, all signifying the Emperor’s status. This image was created in the German lands, a region undergoing significant political and religious upheaval during this period, reflected in the Emperor's somewhat contested claim to the throne. The print, likely commissioned for public distribution, attempts to solidify his image and legacy. To fully understand this artwork, we would need to delve into the history of the Holy Roman Empire, the War of the Austrian Succession, and the role of visual propaganda in shaping public opinion. Art history, at its best, is a dialogue between the artwork and the world that produced it.