Portret van Wilhelm I keizer van Duitsland 1807 - 1888

This is a print of Wilhelm I, Emperor of Germany, by C. Haas. The image presents us with an intriguing window into 19th-century European power structures and the visual language used to uphold them. Consider the military regalia. What does it tell us about the values of the Prussian state? How does the artist use visual codes to convey authority and status? Germany at this time was undergoing rapid industrialization and social change. The monarchy was trying to negotiate its role in a changing world and institutions such as the military were key. The image may be read alongside parliamentary records, newspapers, and social commentary of the time, for example. The image’s original setting and purpose can tell us a lot about the social conditions that shaped its creation. The print would have circulated among a certain class and its reproduction may tell us about what they valued. Historical study allows us to appreciate the subtle power dynamics at play here.