Maria Theresa's son Archduke Joseph, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire since 1765, admired the enlightened monarch Frederick for his military, administrative and economic successes, and from 1766 tried to meet him.

After initial resistance from Maria Theresa, the encounter took place in 1769 in the residential town of Neisse, near the border, where Frederick was staying for military maneuvers.

Joseph, as Count von Falkenstein, arrived in Neisse around noon on August 25 and went straight to the prince-bishop's palace, where Frederick received him.

Accordingly, the meeting of the two emperors had taken place in the stairwell of the Neisse Castle, where Friedrich met Joseph as he rushed up and both fell into each other's arms.

His imperial dignity is expressed solely through the white, red-lined traveling cloak in contrast to Frederick's dark everyday clothing.