Portrait of the Merchant Marcus Levin (died 1790)

Executed in a Rococo‑influenced realism, Chodowiecki employs chiaroscuro to model Levin’s form, giving the figure a three‑dimensional presence. Fine attention to the texture of the coat, the sheen of the buttons, and the polished cane underscores the artist’s meticulous handling of paint.

Although chiefly recognized for his etchings, Chodowiecki spent most of his career in Berlin and later directed the Berlin Academy of Art. The portrait entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s German painting collection.

Created shortly after Levin’s death, the work reflects the period’s practice of commemorating successful merchants through formal portraiture. Its Rococo elements—soft lighting and elegant costume—align with the aesthetic preferences of Berlin’s affluent middle class in the 1790s.