Lot 197 Dα

Like many sculpted and painted portraits of the king, this posthumous bust also bears the features of Friedrich's death mask. The sculptor Johannes Eckstein was born in Poppenreuth near Fürth and became well-known in Germany for sculpting the Prussian king's face in wax upon his death bed. Friedrich II passed away on 17th August 1786 at the age of 74 with a "strong chesty cough" in the armchair of his study in Sanssouci Palace. The original wax mask is no longer extant, but postcards and photographs of the bust, which was formerly housed in the palace of Monbijou, show how vividly it captured the king's impressive features. Eckstein presumably made several copies of the wax bust upon which he based this life-like bronze version depicting the king with eyes open and wearing a wig.