This striking drawing of a young man, signed and dated 1887, provides important evidence of Kuhnert’s early fascination with Africa and its history. Although the exact circumstances of the drawing’s creation remain unknown, Kuhnert inscribed the portrait with the terms “Aschanti” and “Kuakú.” These key details allow us to identify the sitter as Prince Kwaku Dua III, who later became known as Prempeh I, King of the Ashanti Empire.

Prempeh I reigned from March 1888 until his death in 1931, during which time he valiantly resisted repeated attempts by the British Government to incorporate the Ashanti Empire into the Gold Coast Protectorate. In 1895, the British arrested him, and he was subsequently exiled to Sierra Leone and later the Seychelles. Prempeh was only allowed to return to Kumasi in 1925, and in 1926 he was officially recognised as the Chief of Kumasi.

This portrait not only highlights Kuhnert’s skill as a draughtsman but also provides a glimpse into a significant historical figure at a pivotal moment in African history.

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