In the context of this artwork, discuss the Background of the Description.
Portrait of a German Officer was painted by American painter Marsden Hartley in late 1914 while he was living in the German imperial capital of Berlin. While in Germany, Hartley was greatly affected by the pageantry and discipline of the German army, with this interest eventually manifesting itself in some of his works. Portrait of a German Officer was intended to honor Karl von Freyburg, a German lieutenant who had died during the first few months of the First World War. It has been posited that Hartley's correspondence with Freyburg indicates that the former was romantically interested in the German officer.
Berlin Marsden Hartley Portrait lieutenant First World War