Many of Antoine Pesne's portraits of the Prussian royal family and their household hang today in Berlin Museums and in Charlottenburg Palace.

These include (among others) his portraits of the first two kings of Prussia, Frederich I and Frederick William I, and members of the latter's family.

In St. Agnus Church in Köthen, where J. S. Bach was music director (Kapellmeister), there is a huge portrait of the donor Gisela Agnes, Princess of Anhalt-Köthen, painted by Pesne in 1713.

The ceiling paintings in Charlottenburg, Rheinsberg, and Sanssouci Palaces are at least partially his work.

Pesne, born in Paris, had first studied art under his father and uncle, and had received a stipend for advanced training from 1704 to 1710 at the Académie Royale in Italy.

He was called to Berlin by King Frederick I of Prussia in 1710 

As the director of the Berlin Academy of the Arts from 1722, Pesne has become famous through his portraiture.

Frederick William’s son, later to be known as Frederick the Great, had been restored to the Prussian Army as Colonel of the Regiment von der Goltz, stationed near Nauen and Neuruppin.

When Prussia provided a contingent of troops to aid Austria during the War of the Polish Succession, Frederick had studied under Prince Eugene of Savoy during the campaign against France on the Rhine.

Frederick William, weakened by gout brought about by the campaign, had granted Frederick Schloss Rheinsberg in Rheinsberg, north of Neuruppin.

In Rheinsberg, Frederick has assembled a small number of musicians, actors and other artists.

He spends his time reading, watching dramatic plays, making and listening to music, and regards this time as one of the happiest of his life.

Frederick has formed the "Bayard Order" to discuss warfare with his friends; Heinrich August de la Motte Fouqué is made the grand master of the gatherings.