Duke Ludwig is depicted wearing the ribbon and badge of St Andrew of Russia, the star of St Andrew and round his neck the cross of the Teutonic Order. The miniature was almost certainly painted from life as no large-scale portrait of this type is known.

Ludwig was the youngest son of Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. He succeeded to the duchy of Brunswick-Blankenburg in 1707 and, on the death of his elder brother Augustus William, to the duchy of Wolfenbüttel in 1731. In 1690, he married Christina Louisa of Oettingen whose miniature portrait is also in the Royal Collection (RCIN 420669).

The artist, Georg Andreas Wolffgang (1703-45), was born in Augsburg, the son of the artist Johann Georg Wolffgang. He travelled in Europe, visiting England and Rome in 1726 and England again in 1737-9. He finally settled in Gotha, Germany, where he became court painter in 1742.

Signed and dated on the lower right: 1733 G A Wolffgang (the date may be 1735). The backing paper has the remains of various inscriptions, all now illegible.