Johann Friedrich Ardin

Johann Wihelm, Elector Palatine

Johann Wilhelm (1658-1716), Elector Palatine since 1690, was an impressive Baroque prince and an important patron. Brought up and educated by Jesuits, he pursued a counter-reformatory policy. Famous is the statute of the same sitter by Gabriel de Grupello in Düsseldorf. This portrait shows his head and shoulder in the typical representative Baroque allure of a sovereign with his richly decorated breast armour, the ermine-trimmed cape and the dark grey full-bottomed wig falling on his right shoulder and the creases of the coat. The power of colour and expression show the artist's extraordinary craftmanship. Due to the complicated process of firing the enamel in several layers in the kiln motives on enamel miniatures were hardly ever taken directly from life but copied from sketches or existing portraits.