Rare early genre scene with gourmets was executed ca. 1800-1810s by well-renown German miniaturist, watercolour painter and illustrator Georg Emanuel Opiz (Opitz). It is a part of famous series about folk life , executed by the artist in Paris between 1814 and 1820. Georg Emanuel Opiz (1775 Prague - 1841 Leipzig) was a pupil of Casanova at the Dresdener Academy. He began his artistic career as a portrait painter (oil and miniature), came in 1801 to Vienna where he became very known for his scenes of folklife. In 1814 he moved to Paris, later to Heidelberg, Altenburg and finally in 1820 to Leipzig where he lived until his death in 1841.

Works by Opiz :  The National Gallery , Berlin : 50 watercolours from military and folk life ;  Collection of Duke of Sashs-Coburg-Gotha: 24 drawings and watercolours from folk life in Paris; Museums in Vienna : Albertina and Belvedere .

Literature: Prof. H. Fuchs "Dictionary of Austrian Artists" (in German), Vienna, 1975; Thieme/Becker "Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon", Leipzig, 1999.

Inscription: signed lower left : "G.Opiz del."( latin abbreviation of painted by ), under image inscribed in French by the authors hand : "Les gourmands, beef steaks"

Technique: watercolour, gouache, ink on paper, matted and framed in original period frame.

Measurements: image w 14 1/4 " x h 18 " (36 x 46 cm), matted and framed w 20 " x h 24 1/4" ( 51 x 61,5 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.