This rare portrait was purchased on important auction "From Royal and Noble Descent " by auctionshouse Sothebys as portrait of of the young Marie Ludovica Wilhelmine (or Louise), Princess of Bavaria, b.1808, d.1892 (Sothebys Amsterdam, 16-17. october 2001, Lot No. 621 ,copy of cataloque site would be attached). The last owner of this painting (due to cataloque of Sothebys) was Royal House of Saxony . Marie Ludovika Wilhelmine (or Louise), Princess of Bavaria (30 August 1808 - 25 January 1892) was was the sixth child of King Maximilian I of Bavaria and his second wife Karoline of Baden. She was born and died in Munich. Ludovika married maximilian Josef Duke in Bavaria (1808-1888), whose father Duke Pius August in Bavaria was her cousin, on September 9, 1828, in Tegernsee. They had 10 children.The portriat was executed in the first half of 19th century and due to the style, sitter and royal provenance attributed to the famous Munich portrait painter Joseph Karl Stieler (1781 Mainz - 1858 Munich) . Stieler was Bavarian court painter and it is known , that he created portrait of King Maximilian I of Bavaria (the father of the sitter on our portrait Princess Ludovica) and we can propose, the author of our portrait is J.K.Stieler also.Portrait style of Johann Karl Stieler which most especially shaped during his work into the Parisian studio of Francois Gérard, A student OF Jacques Louis David. In 1808, he established himself as independent portraitist on in Frankfurt/Main. He traveled through Italy in 1810. In 1816, he traveled ton of Vienna tons paint the portrait of Emperor Francis I of Austria. Between February and April 1820, he worked on his portrait of Beethoven, which is probably the most wave known representation of the more composer today. Stieler worked mainly into the service of the Bavarian court. His painted likenesses in lock Nymphenburg, beauty gallery, the so-called Gallery of Beauties, were commissioned by King Ludwig I. Stieler thus painted the portraits of Goethe, Amalia of Greece, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph of Schelling, Johann Ludwig Tieck, and Alexander of Humboldt. The most distinguishing feature of Stieler´ s portraits is his utter focus on the more sitter. Decorative addition acres left out, and there is emergency-hung that distracts the viewer´ s scrutiny. Stieler accomplished this concentration through deliberate light dark contrast, which above all highlights the accurately characterized facial features. He died in Munich.

Literature : Thieme/Becker "Arist Lexicon (in german); Cataloque of the important auction of Sotheby´s in Amsterdam "Works from royal and noble descent", 6-17. October 2001, Lot No. 621); Wikipedia Image Database (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ludovika_of_Bavaria).

Provenance: Royal House of Saxony (copy of provenance proof would be attached to the painting).

Inscription: unsigned , original wooden plaque with name of sitter, on the reverse of stretcher - property inv.number and original label with indistinctly inscription.

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

Measurements: unframed 22 1/2" x 27 1/2" (60 x 73 cm); framed 32 3/4 " x 43 1/4" (74 x 87 cm)

Condition: in good condition, professional restored, canvas relined.