Stieler portrait: most authentic?
Donn Miller
Quote:
"The portrait of Beethoven painted by Joseph Carl Stieler in 1819-20, is
one of the best known of the many portraits, which were painted of the
composer. It was acquired by the brother of Louis Spohr at a raffle run
by the Art Association of Brunswick. He valued the portrait highly
because Stieler had assured him, when they had met at their friend
Kaulbach's house in Munich, that he was the only painter to whom
Beethoven had allowed sittings - and that, only at the specific wish of
the composer's friends and patrons, the Brentanos. It is understood to
be a very good likeness; only the hands had to be painted from memory,
as Beethoven could not be persuaded to sit any longer."
Well, I think I've seen better portraits, IMO. For example, the Decker,
Horneman, Kloeber's first sketch, Hippius, Schimon, etc. Of course,
Kloeber did multiple drafts of his oil painting, the first draft of
which looks to be the most "realistic". The second draft shows some
idealization and beautification. I think the Decker is a pretty
realistic portrait. I saw it mentioned that the actual oil painting by
Kloeber has now been lost. Kloeber also did a painting of Ludwig and
nephew Karl, AFAIK.
Sounds like Stieler was fibbing a little to up the value of his painting.
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----
David White
news:3D305799...@cvzoom.net...
>
http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Portraits/GalleryPortraits_JosephKarlStieler.html
>
> Quote:
>
> "The portrait of Beethoven painted by Joseph Carl Stieler in 1819-20, is
> one of the best known of the many portraits, which were painted of the
> composer. It was acquired by the brother of Louis Spohr at a raffle run
> by the Art Association of Brunswick. He valued the portrait highly
> because Stieler had assured him, when they had met at their friend
> Kaulbach's house in Munich, that he was the only painter to whom
> Beethoven had allowed sittings - and that, only at the specific wish of
> the composer's friends and patrons, the Brentanos. It is understood to
> be a very good likeness; only the hands had to be painted from memory,
> as Beethoven could not be persuaded to sit any longer."
>
> Well, I think I've seen better portraits, IMO. For example, the Decker,
> Horneman, Kloeber's first sketch, Hippius, Schimon, etc. Of course,
> Kloeber did multiple drafts of his oil painting, the first draft of
> which looks to be the most "realistic". The second draft shows some
> idealization and beautification. I think the Decker is a pretty
> realistic portrait. I saw it mentioned that the actual oil painting by
> Kloeber has now been lost. Kloeber also did a painting of Ludwig and
> nephew Karl, AFAIK.
But how do we know which are the best portraits without the subject himself
to compare them with?
David
Joyce Maier
"David White" <wi...@not.give.email> schreef in bericht
news:fuaY8.1078$M5.1...@nasal.pacific.net.au...
(snip)
> But how do we know which are the best portraits without the subject
himself
> to compare them with?
We have the Klein life mask of 1812 and the foto and plaster model of the
skull.
Joyce Maier
www.ademu.com/Beethoven