Very rare parade portrait of russian Tsar Nicholas I was executed by good listed Austrian court painter Johann Boess (b. 1822). The artist born in Budapest and studied at the Vienna Academy in 1839-1843. From 1861 he was member of the famous artists´ group "Wiener Kuenstlerhaus". Between 1846 and 1859 the artist frequently worked in Serbia. Our portrait was purchased from the serbian noble estate in Belgrad and was executed by the author in Belgrad where J: Boess worked frequently between 1846 to 1859 as court painter by Alexander Karaðorðevic, Prince of Serbia. Paintings by Johann Boess are displayed at the National Museum, Belgrad. It was the time , when both monarchs Nicolaus I and Prince Alexander started their reforms, united in the fight against Hungarian revolution and later against Turkey. In this sense can be assume, that the Nicholas visited Belgrad and J.Boess as court painter recieved an order to paint this portrait . In each case the portrait was painted in the lifetime by Nicholas I and this fact makes it very important for history. For comparison with most famous portrait of Nicholas I by world-known German painter Franz Krüger, which was executed in 1852 (situated in the Hermitage , St.Petersburg) , also in the same time, as our portrait by J.Boess, see link:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaus_I._(Russland)

Provenance: Noble Collection in Belgrad /Serbia

Literature: Thieme/Becker "General Artist Lexicon", Leipzig, 1999; H.Fuchs "Austrian Aritsts of 19 century", Vienna, 1975

Inscription: signed lower right

Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed 31 1/2" x 37 3/4 " (80 x 96), , framed w 38 1/2" x h 45 " (98 x 114 cm)

Condition: in very good condition