Skip to Content
Closed now, next open tomorrow. Closed now, next open tomorrow.

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, from Les Génies de la Mort

A work made of color lithograph on ivory wove paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of color lithograph on ivory wove paper.

Date:

1870

Artist:

Edmond Guilliaume
French, active 1870s

About this artwork

After the creation of the German Empire, Wilhelm I was named kaiser (emperor) of the unified German state. He is thus depicted as the aristocratic twin to his prime minister, Otto von Bismarck. Edmond Guilliaume ironically gave Wilhelm a crown of leaves like an ancient hero, but that association is superseded by the rest of his face and body. Underneath his confident eyes lies a decaying skull, and his body is replaced by the rapacious, blood-sucking form of a bat. Combined with the nighttime destruction of the church in the distance, Wilhelm represents the very essence of the coldhearted, cold-blooded enemy.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Edmond Guilliaume

Title

Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, from Les Génies de la Mort

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1870

Medium

Color lithograph on ivory wove paper

Dimensions

Image: 57.8 × 46 cm (22 13/16 × 18 1/8 in.); Sheet: 72.7 × 51.6 cm (28 5/8 × 20 3/8 in.)

Credit Line

Robert Chase Endowment

Reference Number

1992.754

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/119385/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms