Portrait of Carl Justinian von Holzhausen (1750-1793), ca. 1758 – 1759

About the Work

This portrait, attributed to Johann Anton Tischbein, shows Carl Justinian von Holzhausen at the age of about ten, wearing a richly braided uniform, a short wig and – at his side – a sword. He is posing as a little general, thus visually embodying the hope that he will continue a family tradition that reaches back to the 16 th century. The architectural setting may also be read as an attribute: it conveys the ambience of a member of the ruling class, and the massive column, shown only in part, was an established motif in portraits of rulers.