Description
This portrait typifies painting in Vienna between 1815 and 1865, an era known as the Biedermeier period, during which the Habsburg government promoted positive artistic depictions of Viennese life and culture. The mountains in the background express both the artist's romantic fascination with nature and patriotic devotion to his Austrian homeland. The sitter, Crescentia Seilern, was a prestigious member of the aristocracy who married Hungarian reformist patriot István Széchenyi.
Provenance
Possibly Dr. Izidor Deutsch [d. 1906], Budapest (Before 1906); Maximilian Mauthner, Schloss Feistritz, Wechsel, Austria (Probably until 1925); (Sale, Dorotheum, Vienna, June 15, 1925, lot 69) (1925); Possibly Dr. Paul Eger [1881-1947], Basel (Before 1940); (Sale, Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, Nov. 7-9, 1940, lot 1250, sold to Galerie Nathan) (1940); (Galerie Nathan, Zürich) (1940-); (Erich von Kreibig, Munich) (By 1970); (Sale, Neumeister, Munich, Sept. 20-22, 1972, lot 1689 (1972); (Galerie Grünwald, Munich) (From 1972?); Private collection, Munich (By 1987?); (David Carritt, Ltd./Artemis Group, London, and Galerie Sanct Lucas, Vienna, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1988); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1988-)
Accession Number
1988.57
Medium
oil on fabric
Dimensions
Framed: 121.5 x 102 x 10.5 cm (47 13/16 x 40 3/16 x 4 1/8 in.); Unframed: 97.8 x 78.5 cm (38 1/2 x 30 7/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund
