A pair of Biedermeier family portraits was executed c. 1830-1840 in the quality and manner very close to the famous Viennese portrait painter Franz Eybl ( 1806 - 1887).

Franz Eybl was an Austrian painter and lithograph artist born in Vienna in 1806. He was one of the leading genre masters and a very popular portrait painter in the society circles of Vienna. Entering the Vienna Academy in 1816 at the age of 10, he studied under Josef Moessmer, J. B. von Lampi. F. Caucig and Peter Krafft. With a talent for depicting nature and light he found a way from the classicism into a lively and individual genre painting. His talent also led him to portrait painting. Eybl started with portraits of small format and a fine finish becoming one of the masters of the portrait miniature prime-time in Austria. His genre paintings on the other hand awakened great interest and brought him fame at the Austrian Kunstverein (Art Association) exhibitions in the 1830s and hand-in-hand grew his reputation as portrait painter and lithograph to the end of his active years in the 1860s. 

Literature: Prof.H.Fuchs, Lexicon of Austrian artists, Vienna, 1975. Thieme/Becker "Lexicon of artists from antique to contemporary", Leipzig, 1999

Inscription: unsigned, on back sites of both portraits - inscriptions with the name of the artist; old labels with inventory numbers of a previous collector.

Technique: portrait of lady - oil on wood, portrait of gentleman - oil on canvas. Original period gold-plated frames.

Measurements: unframed lady w 8 3/4" x h 10 7/8" (22,3 x 27,5 ), gentleman w 91/4" x h 11 1/8" ( 23.5 x 28,3 cm); framed each w 11" x h 16 7/8" (28 x 43 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.