In the Austrian Gallery Belvedere there is  the portrait of Amalie Klein born von Henikstein by most important Austrian portrait artist of 19th century Friedrich Amerling (1803 - 1887) . It was painted by the author in 1834 (see our additional photo no.1). It shows the lady sitting in the wine-colored velvet dress and a dark green coat. This work lends itself very well as a comparative example to our painting.

Our painting shows portrait of the same lady Amalie Klein , the three-quarter portrait  the looking to the right. With her ​​right arm she is based on a railing, which draped with a yellow cloth. She wears a dark red velvet dress with a white petticoat, in her right hand she holds a lorgnette.

Due to the identical quality, style and  comparison of our painting with the specified portrait of Amalie Klein  and also with other famous portraits by Amerling from Belvedere (as exemples see additional photos No.2 and 3) we attributed our painting to the hand of Friedrich Amerling.

In the famous monography "Friedrich Amerling.Werkverzeichnis" (List of Works) by G.Probszt we found under No.300 and No.300a two portraits of Amalie Klein:

Under No.300 describes Probzst the specified above  portrait of Amalie Klein born von Henikstein, situated in the  Belvedere and painted by the author in 1834.

Under No. 300a described Probzst "An excerpt from an earlier painting, which was sold to Baron Adolf Pereira". Due to the same sitter, identical manner and quality  and the  fact, that our painting has on the backside of the stretcher old memory inscription "Baron Adolf Pereira", we can concluse with large probability that our portrait is new founded No.300a from the Probst List !

Amalie Josefine Klein, born. von Henikstein (1806-1871) came from the famous Viennese family, she was the dauther of Josef Ritter von Henikstein (1768-1838) and his wife Elisabeth, born Zacher von Sonnenstein. Joseph von Henikstein (1768 - 1838 in Vienna) was of Jewish origin ( his father Albert Adam after his conversion to Catholicism in 1784 ennobled as "Edler von Henikstein ), the famous Austrian merchant and banker (since 1818 - one of the first directors of the National bank) , an art patron and a friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In his two houses in the center of Vienna, Kärntner Strasse and Wollzeile, and at his country seat in Oberdöbling often had house concerts, where prominent musicians (meanwhile, even Mozart) played music together with family members. Joseph was married to Elizabeth of Henikstein von Sonnenstein (1770-1823). from this marriage were born 4 children : 3 sisters and one youngest brother. Among children was the sitter of our painting Amalie Josephine Henikstein, later Klein and her two sisters : Caroline (1797-1844) (she married Joseph Baron Hammer Purgstall, the famous diplomat and translator of oriental literature) , and Henriette (1801-1843) , a famous painter of miniature portraits and pupil of Moritz Daffinger. (she married the industrialist Karl Wilhelm Brevillier). A miniature portrait by Henriette Klein-Brevillier you can see on our web-site under item No. 542 . Youngest son of Joseph von Henikstein was the Austrian Field Marshal Alfred von Henikstein. About Amalie Josephine is reported that she was an excellent singer. 1824 Amalie married the banker Carl Ferdinand Klein (1797-1868). He was before he settled in Austria, in St. Petersburg as Associé in the trading and banking Stieglitz & Co. (like his father before him Aaron Peter Klein) working. The couple first was lived alternately in Vienna and St. Petersburg , but soon settled for ever in Vienna. Klein was an industrialist, in the Upper and Lower Austria had had several factories, royal Danish Commerce and a member of the House of Lords, also Knight of the Imperial Order of Leopods. The couple Amalie Josephine and Carl Ferdinand Klein had nine children, seven of whom survived. At the time, as Amerling painted portraits of Amalie , she was already a mother of six children.

Literature:  G.Probszt " Friedrich von Amerling. Werkverzeichnis", Vienna, 1927, p. 119, No. 300-300a; F.von Boetticher "List of paintings of 19th century"(in German),Leipzig,1892, Sabine Grabner " Friedrich von Amerling. 1803-1887", exhib. cataoque of Austrian National Gallery Belvedere, Leipzig 2003, p. 132-133; Catalogue of Belvedere "Kunst des 19. Jahrhunderts", p.44, Vienna, 1992;"General Artist´s Lexicon " by Thieme/Becker, Leipzig, 1999; H.Fuchs" Österreichische Maler des 19. Jahrhunderts", Vienna, 1975; auction cataloque of auctionshouse Im Kinsky", 84th Art Auction, Lot.No. 7, as "Friedrich von Amerling-attr. Portrait of Amalia Klein, b. Henrikstein"

Inscription: unsigned, on the reverse of stretcher - old  memory inscription in German: "Baron Adolf Pereira" and old label of frame producer.

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

Measurements: unframed : w. 30 1/4" x h. 36 1/2 " (77 x 92,5 cm), framed w. 34 " x h. 39 3/4 " ( 86,5 x 101 cm).

Condition: in very good condition, no inpaintings, original canvas.