Anton Friedrich König

Probably Henry, Prince of Prussia, and His Wife

This humorous double portrait shows probably Prince Henry (1726-1802), a brother of Frederic the Great, with his wife, Wilhelmina of Hesse-Kassel (1726-1808), in a very personal situation. They are seated on a small canapé; at its side is a dainty table with a coffee service. Their bodies are in close contact: he has put his right arm and his left leg around her, their left hands are touching tenderly, and in her right hand the lady is holding a cup. Henry, 14 years younger than his brother Frederic, bore lifelong suffering under his brother who took on the father role after their father, King Frederic William I., the "Soldatenkoenig" Soldiers' King died. During the Second Silesian War, Frederic appointed his brother "aide-de-camp". In recognition of his merits Henry was presented with the summer castle Rheinsberg in 1744. Nevertheless, the relationship between the two brothers remained rather tense. In 1752, Henry married Wilhelmina of Hesse-Kassel, whose profound and amiable character was soon highly respected at court. Henry's relationship to his wife, however, remained cold, and a short time after their marriage it was a well-known fact that he had a liaison with the Duchess Bentinck. Taking this into consideration, the present portrait gains a totally new aspect and it cannot be assured that the lady sitter really is Prince Henry's wife. The artist's way of painting is typically German: almost completely consisting of little dots, it shows most delicate shades, but lacks spontaneity: there are no quick lines, no virtuosic brush strokes to turn paint spots into light reflexes. The miniature is painted very accurately and almost a bit simple, and its main attraction is certainly the intimacy of the depicted situation.