From 1839 to 1842, he produced 400 drawings, largely introducing to Germany the technique of wood-engraving, to illustrate the "Geschichte Friedrichs des Grossen" ("History of Frederick the Great") by Franz Kugler. He subsequently brought out "Friedrichs der Grossen Armee in ihrer Uniformirung" ("The Uniforms of the Army under Frederick the Great"), "Soldaten Friedrichs der Grossen" ("The Soldiers of Frederick the Great"); and finally, by order of King Frederick William IV, he illustrated the works of Frederick the Great, "Illustrationen zu den Werken Friedrichs des Grossen" (1843–1849). The artist had a deep sympathy for the Prussian king. In one of his letters to Johann Jakob Weber, he said that it was his intention to represent the monarch as a man who was both hated and admired—simply as he was, in other words, as a man of the people. Through these works, Menzel established his claim to be considered one of the first, if not actually the first, of the illustrators of his day in his own line.