Fine classical still life with peaches, grapes, melon and butterflies was executed on the middle of 19th century. Due to very close stylistic similarities and comparison with similar works of the same artist (one of them is on additional photo) our still life was attributed to one of most important Austrian still life painters of 19th century Leopold Zinnögger (* 26. Juni 1811 in Linz; † 22. Juli 1872 Linz ).

(From Wikipedia) Leopold Zinnögger ( 1811 - Linz - 1872 ) was an Austrian painter and botanist.The gardener´s son went with his friend Johann Baptist Reiter in October 1830 at the Vienna Academy. In addition to the study painted the two porcelain plates.

His first exhibition organised Zinnögger along with his friend Reiter in the year 1835 in the Landesmuseum Linz. In 1836, with a flower picture, he won the Heinrich Faheem prize. He exhibited in 1837 the picture at St. Anna in Vienna, where he often appeared in the subsequent time with still lifes in appearance. A copy of this painting made by the Linzer flower painter Philipp Mößmer hangs today in the Linzer Stadtmuseum.

His search for a travel scholarship to Holland in order to study of the flower painting was rejected on 17 July 1837. So he turned away disappointed again by the flower painting and stepped in the footsteps of his father, while his friend Reiter remained in Vienna.

He rejected the appeal as a proofreader at the Vienna Academy, instead he joined botanist Johann Baptiste Duftschmid and made experiments in the cultivation of plants. This resulted in scientifically recognized new insights about the reproduction at orchids.

While he worked from 1849 to 1862 as a drawing teacher at the gymnasium, he kept the leadership of his father´s nursery still in hands. Later, he also ran a photographic agency and gave also private lessons. By the way, he found time for painting; so, he left no fewer than 324 paintings.

Zinnöggers most famous work is "Die Butte with Trauben" from 1846 in the Gallery of St. Florian. In 1847 he exhibited at the trade association. He was co-founder of the Upper Austrian Art Union in Linz in its first exhibition of 1851 introduced four still lifes, including a piece of fruit with squirrels abbits and monkeys. From then on he took part in any exhibition of the Art Association.Zinnögger died in his childhood home of Baumbachstraße 12 with less than 61 years.

Awards: 1836 Henry Lee Fairbrother Prize

Literature: Artist dictionaries by Thieme Becker, Prof.H.Fuchs, Constantin von Wurzbach: Zinnögger, Leopold. In the : Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Österreich. 60. Theil. Imperial Court and State printing house, Vienna 1891.

Inscription: unsigned .

Technique: gouache on paper/cardboard. Old gold-plated frame.

Measurements: image w 20 1/2" x h 28 3/4" (52 x 73 cm), matted and framed w 27 3/4" x h 37 1/3 " (70,5 x 95 cm).

Condition: in very good condition .