The present work is one of a series of portraits collected, modified and reinterpreted by Hans-Peter Feldmann. He collected 19th-century portraits, bought at auctions and fairs, and then repainted them to challenge their aesthetic character. They were slightly modified, with minimal interventions which, although produced absurd results. Through these rude transformations, paintings break away from their historical and social context, and the concepts they represent — youth, class, sexuality, war, and beauty — are overturned, allowing viewers to find new meanings and alternative narratives.