J. C. H. v. Schmalen, Accurate Representation of the Entire (Prussian) Royal Army ... 1759.

This article presents the copperplate series described below of the Prussian army in the year 1759. The depiction is based on an original reproducing photo series presumably from the eighties (probably made by Otto Quenstedt). This is in the possession of the author.

The copperplate series bears the title: Accurate Representation of the Entire Royal Army, In which for the actual knowledge of the uniform of each regiment an officer and private are depicted in full equipment and full stature from life, together with the attached information 1.) On the foundation. 2.) Their chiefs. 3.) The strength and 4.) The garrisons each regiment maintains in peacetime. Published and drawn by J. C. H. v. S. "Royal Prussian Lieutenant", Nuremberg at the expense of the Raspische bookshop 1759.

Richard Knötel writes about this source: "Several editions of this work also exist from later years. Unfortunately the images are extremely superficial, especially with regard to braids, embroideries etc., and in many cases even incorrect. Completely unusable, however, are the captions under the pictures.... I have also compared the captions for other regiments with the regimental list, but a year is very rarely correct; even for the newer regiments false information is found" (quoted from Communications on the History of Military Dress, No. 1, 1892).

Despite this justified criticism, this series of images is shown here as a contemporary example of the (inadequate) attempt at the (almost naive) pictorial representation of an entire army of the Ancien Régime.