Ludwig Guttenbrunn
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Guttenbrunn was an artist who worked in the latter part of the 18th century and early 19th century. He specialized in portraiture and history painting.
, or in Krems (it is not known which). He studied painting with Martin Joachim Schmidt. By 1770 he was working for the Esterházy family, where he painted portraits of the reigning prince, Nikolaus Esterházy
, and possibly the portrait of Joseph Haydn
seen and discussed below.He also created decorative paintings for Nikolaus's new palace at Esterháza.
By 1772 he had moved to Rome, where he had been sent to study by Prince Esterházy (he did not return to the Esterházy court, however). He continued to work as a portrait painter, later moving to Florence
. He executed a self-portrait which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
In 1789 he moved to London. Shortly after arrival, or perhaps on the way, he produced the portrait of Marie Antoinette
, Queen of France, shown below. According to Robbins Landon, Guttenbrunn was successful in London, and his "name is encountered frequently in the newspapers". Robbins Landon quotes an advertisement from the Morning Herald, 24 April 1794, which reads:
(The Queen had been guillotined by the revolutionary
government the previous year.)
In 1795, on the recommendation of the Russian envoy in London, he moved to St. Peterburg, then later to Moscow. His portrait of Alexej Kurakin, shown below, dates from his stay in Russia.
He is known to have been in Dresden
in 1806, then after 1807 back in Rome. Guttenbrunn's last attested painting dates from 1813. He died in Frankfurt am Main, 15 January 1819.
.
The portrait shows Haydn in the act of composing: he is seated at a keyboard, gazing into the distance, testing out notes with one hand and putting to pen to paper with the other.
Life
Guttenbrunn was born either in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, or in Krems (it is not known which). He studied painting with Martin Joachim Schmidt. By 1770 he was working for the Esterházy family, where he painted portraits of the reigning prince, Nikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy was a Hungarian prince, a member of the famous Esterházy family. His building of palaces, extravagant clothing, and taste for opera and other grand musical productions led to his being given the title "the Magnificent"...
, and possibly the portrait of Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
seen and discussed below.He also created decorative paintings for Nikolaus's new palace at Esterháza.
By 1772 he had moved to Rome, where he had been sent to study by Prince Esterházy (he did not return to the Esterházy court, however). He continued to work as a portrait painter, later moving to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. He executed a self-portrait which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
In 1789 he moved to London. Shortly after arrival, or perhaps on the way, he produced the portrait of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
, Queen of France, shown below. According to Robbins Landon, Guttenbrunn was successful in London, and his "name is encountered frequently in the newspapers". Robbins Landon quotes an advertisement from the Morning Herald, 24 April 1794, which reads:
- [Guttenbrunn's] Exhibition of Ancient and Modern Pictures, No. 4 Little Maddx-street four doors down from New Bond-street, is now open every day ... [Among the portraits is that of] the late Queen of France taken from life in the year 1789.
(The Queen had been guillotined by the revolutionary
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
government the previous year.)
In 1795, on the recommendation of the Russian envoy in London, he moved to St. Peterburg, then later to Moscow. His portrait of Alexej Kurakin, shown below, dates from his stay in Russia.
He is known to have been in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in 1806, then after 1807 back in Rome. Guttenbrunn's last attested painting dates from 1813. He died in Frankfurt am Main, 15 January 1819.
Guttenbrunn's portrait of Joseph Haydn
Guttenbrunn's portrait of Haydn, seen below, exists in two versions. It is possible that the first dates from his encounter with Haydn at the Esterházy court in the early 1770s, and the second from their encounter in London in the early 1790s. The second version is more detailed than the first, and was the basis for an engraving (1792) by Luigi SchiavonettiLuigi Schiavonetti
Luigi Schiavonetti , Italian reproductive engraver and etcher, was born at Bassano in Venetia.After having studied art for several years he was employed by Testolini, an engraver of very indifferent abilities, to execute imitations of Bartolozzi's works, which he passed off as his own...
.
The portrait shows Haydn in the act of composing: he is seated at a keyboard, gazing into the distance, testing out notes with one hand and putting to pen to paper with the other.