Othon 1er roi de Grèce Circa 1850

This striking 19th-century engraving depicts Otto I, the first modern King of Greece, standing proudly in traditional Greek costume against a dramatic classical backdrop. Otto, a Bavarian prince chosen by the European powers, ascended the Greek throne in 1832 after Greece’s War of Independence. The engraving emphasizes both his royal authority and his symbolic role as a unifying figure bridging ancient heritage with the newly established nation. The ruins and monumental columns in the composition evoke Greece’s classical past, while Otto’s attire—the iconic foustanella and richly embroidered garments—underlines his adoption of Greek identity and the monarchy’s attempt to root itself in local tradition.

The work is associated with Gottlieb Bodmer (1804–1837), an engraver active in the early 19th century, and is in keeping with the refined, carefully rendered portrait engravings of the period. Artists of this era often blended Romantic dramatic atmosphere with neoclassical respect for form and symbolism, particularly in subjects connected to nation-building and historical identity. The engraving belongs to a broader visual culture of “philhellenism,” in which European artists and intellectuals celebrated Greece’s classical legacy while supporting its modern independence.

Produced around the mid-19th century, this image is not only a portrait but also a political statement. It reflects the hopes, tensions, and ideals of a young nation seeking legitimacy, and of a European monarchy adapting itself to a new cultural environment. Today, it stands as both a historical document and a beautifully executed example of 19th-century engraving craftsmanship.

Engraving

Politics - Royalty - Greece

Gottlieb Bodmer (1804-1837) - Engraving “Otto I, King of Greece”

Printed by Bodmer in Munich

Good condition, soiled