18th Century: Reduced-scale Portrait On Copper Of The Count Of Bruhl After Louis Silvestre

Count Heinrich von Brühl (1700-1763) is a central figure in European history. His diplomatic talents were noticed by Augustus II the Strong, King of Saxony. He became Prime Minister to his successor, Augustus, and facilitated his accession to the Polish throne against Stanisław Leszczyński. He was at the heart of events that unfolded in the mid-18th century, such as the Seven Years' War. Our portrait is a contemporary copperplate reduction of a work by Louis Silvestre (1675-1760), son of the renowned engraver Israël Silvestre, who was recruited by Augustus II as the official court portraitist in Dresden. This is an exact reproduction of the portrait of a young Heinrich von Brühl. It may have been produced as a diplomatic gift by a court workshop. The quality of the work is remarkable, full of brilliant details such as the fur, the jewelry, the medal, and the armor ornamentation. The frame is original, made of gilded wood, typical of German Rococo. Restoration work is needed, both for the slightly damaged copper plate (the subject itself is unaffected), some losses to the background in the lower right corner and to the varnish in the upper right corner, and for the frame itself, which is damaged (losses). The historical significance of this object gives it particular interest, which will surely appeal to the 18th-century enthusiast. Dimensions of the copper plate: 17.5 x 14 cm