The Master of the Miniature: The Life and Legacy of Franz Linder In the grand tapestry of eighteenth-century European art, certain names shimmer with the brilliance of gold leaf, while others provide the essential, intricate threads that hold the narrative together. Franz Linder (1738–1802) belongs to that profound class of masters whose work captures the very soul of an era. A pioneer of German portraiture, Linder emerged during the twilight of the Baroque period, a time when the dramatic shadows of the past were beginning to soften into the refined elegance of a new age. While history ofte…