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Nice engraved portrait of Frederick II of Prussia in the French School style of the mid-18th century, engraved by Johann Georg Wille. This engraved work follows the earlier painted portrait of the Elector of Brandenburg by Antoine Pesne.
The portrait shows a half-turned Frederick wearing a sash and the insignia of the Order of the Black Eagle, within a trompe l'oeil framing upon a pedestal. Tastefully styled, it shows Frederick's facial features with an attractive level of depth.
Johan Georg Wille was a very successful German-born engraver who practiced in France. Originally trained in decorating hunting rifles, his early career was focused on portrait engravings, which allowed him to become successful enough to pursue his artistic talents in other fields, such as landscapes and family scenes. He was knighted in the Legion of Honor during the French Revolution.
Frederick II, later Frederick the Great, was King of Prussia for most of the second half of the 18th century and noted for his state-building in Prussia. He was responsible for militarizing the kingdom's army and turning it into the foremost of the German electorates.
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