A pair of high quality Biedermeier family portraits was executed ca. in 1840s and was purchased from the Viennese private estate. Despite the absence of the signatures, they have all stylistic similarities for attribution to famous Austrian portrait painter Franz Schrotzberg (1811 Vienna - 1889 Graz).

For other portraits by the same artist on our web-site see item No. 840 ,1096, 2427, 3839, 3973, 4219.

Franz Schrotzberg gained fame as an outstanding portraitist of European nobility, including the royal houses. Already during his lifetime his contemporaries called him " the Austrian Winterhalter ". Student of the Vienna Art Academy , continued his study by travels to Germany, Italy, Belgium, France and England. From 1832 exhibited his oil portraits at the academical exhibitions very soon gaining great popularity as a portraitist among the royals and the high society in Austria and abroad (specially for his female portraits). His works can be seen in the Austrian National Gallery "Belvedere", other noted museums in Austria, Germany, Russia ( St.Petersburg, Memory Museum of A.Pushkin) and worldwide.Here is article about artist from the " Biography Artist Lexicon" (in german) by Dr. Hermann Alex. Müller, Leipzig, Editon of Bibliographical Institutes, 1882 :"..Schrotzberg, Franz, portrait painter, born 1811 to Vienna, became 1825 pupil of the academy, received his first suggestions by the well-known landscape painter Marko, whose ideal direction practiced a large influence on him and caused him to mythology shapes, which had mostly only doubtful success. 1839 it travelled to North Italy, later also to Germany, Belgium, Paris and London. More large success than by his mythological shapes he made since beginning of the 1840´s by his portraits, "where it by ideal view and under the distinguished lady world very much was particularly liked to beauty of the colour, so that he painted innumerable woman portraits of the royal court and high aristocracy. There belong: the empress Karoline August (1843), the empress Elisabeth, the duchess Therese of Wuerttemberg, early died duchess Mathilde of Austria (last three - in the New Pinakothek, Munich), emperors Maximilian von Mexico, the Banus Iellachich, the princess Auersperg, the countess Verchtold, the countess d´Orsay and innumerable others. He is member of the academy in Vienna and owner of the Franz Iosephsordens.".

Literature: "General Artist´s Lexicon " by Thieme/Becker and " Dictionary of Austrian artists " by Prof.H.Fuchs (in German).

Inscription: unsigned.

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

Measurements: unframed w 20 7/8" x h 26" (53 x 66 cm), framed w 30 1/3" x h 35" (77 x 89 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.