Ruiterportret van Frederik de Grote 1740 - 1788

This engraving, *Ruiterportret van Frederik de Grote*, was made by Johann Esaias Nilson. Note how the composition is rigidly structured: a framed portrait, with a clear hierarchy of elements. Frederik is centered, elevated on horseback, a symbol of power and control. Nilson uses line and shading to define form, but also to suggest texture, from the horse's coat to the fabric of Frederik's attire. The landscape is a backdrop, not a focus, reinforcing the primacy of the subject. Consider how this portrait engages with semiotics. The horse, the uniform, the very act of equestrian portraiture—all signify status, authority, and military prowess. Yet, the limitations of the engraving medium impose a certain flatness, challenging any illusionistic depth. This tension between symbolic representation and material reality invites us to question the nature of power and its visual construction.