Austrian school (XIX) - Portrait der Ursula Döttinger
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Description from the seller
Title
Portrait painting of the Biedermeier
Portrait lady: Ursula Döttinger
The frame is included as a gift and serves as a safeguard for the picture during transport.
Labeled on the back
Ursula Döllinger
painted at 57 (years of life)
In memory of L. Neelmeyer
1835
Object: Oil painting on canvas. Unframed (the frame visible on the back in the photos is not part of the auction but can be purchased after the auction if desired).
Dimensions: length approximately 30 cm, width approximately 25 cm, depth approximately 2 cm. (Based on measurements taken with a tape measure, rounded).
Dating and provenance: According to the inscription on the back, dated 1835. Painter: L. Neelmeyer (inscription on the back, see photo). Motif: Ursula Döttinger (name on the back). Stylistic classification: Germany, Biedermeier period.
Representation and iconography
The painting depicts a half-figure portrait of an older or mature woman, identified as Ursula Döttinger. The figure is portrayed from a slight upward view and looks directly at the viewer, creating a personal and approachable atmosphere.
Clothing and accessories
The depicted person wears a dark, voluminous head covering that resembles a fur or velvet cap and is typical of the bourgeois or rural attire of the early 19th century.
Around the neck lies a black scarf or a neckerchief.
She wears a broad, white-blue striped cloth or a wrap (probably linen or wool), which is artfully draped.
The clothing in the shoulder area is in a deep brown-red tone.
A golden earring (probably a hoop or stud earring) is visible in the right ear.
Background and lighting: The woman is positioned indoors, suggested by a window on the left side, in front of which a white curtain hangs. In the window area, there is a potted plant (probably myrtle or similar). The light falls softly from the left, shaping the face.
Gesture and expression: The expression is serious but calm and composed. The slight redness in the cheeks and eyes indicates a naturalistic depiction, which in Biedermeier art valued honest, unembellished representation. The portrait conveys intimacy and respect for the personality of the subject.
Technique and painting style
Painting technique: oil on linen. The color is applied opaquely. Brushwork: The painting style is relatively concise but purposeful.
Face: Finer modeling of the facial features and eye area. The cheeks are accented with vivid red, a typical iconography of the folk portrait painting of this period, which aimed to emphasize health and vitality.
Clothing/background: The style here is broader and less detailed, especially in the area of clothing and the window. The textures of the fabric are suggested through thick, parallel brushstrokes.
Colorfulness: The image comes alive through the contrast between earthy tones (brown-red of the clothing, ochre of the background) and the cool, accentuating colors (blue and white of the scarf, black of the headscarf and hat).
Stylistic and Historical Classification
Stylistic classification: The work belongs stylistically to the epoch of Biedermeier (ca. 1815–1848).
Biedermeier portrait: Characteristic is the focus on the bourgeois subject and domestic intimacy. Emphasis was placed on a realistic, often somewhat strict and psychologically insightful depiction without heroic exaggeration. The portrayal of Ursula Döttinger aligns with the ideal of an honest, domestic portrait.
Regional style: The combination of detailed faces with broadly painted garments, the clear contouring of the cheeks, and the folk costume indicate the regional portrait painting of the German-speaking area, often executed by craftsmen or less academically trained painters.
Artist L. Neelmeyer: Without further references, L. Neelmeyer is probably a locally active portraitist or a painter who worked on commission from bourgeois families. A more detailed art historical research would be necessary for a precise biographical classification. The dating of 1835 is perfectly placed for stylistic classification.
Condition and documentation
Condition: The canvas appears to be in good to moderate condition due to age. Noticeable craquelure (cracks in the paint layer) and areas of abrasion are visible. The surface shows a patina. The motif is overall stable and well preserved.
Documentation: The handwritten inscription on the back is a crucial, primary source for the provenance and identity of the work.
Portrait of Ursula Döttinger
L. Neelmeyer
1835
The inscription confirms the authenticity of the depicted subject and its dating, which makes it a work from the Biedermeier period of great art historical significance.
Title
Portrait painting of the Biedermeier
Portrait lady: Ursula Döttinger
The frame is included as a gift and serves as a safeguard for the picture during transport.
Labeled on the back
Ursula Döllinger
painted at 57 (years of life)
In memory of L. Neelmeyer
1835
Object: Oil painting on canvas. Unframed (the frame visible on the back in the photos is not part of the auction but can be purchased after the auction if desired).
Dimensions: length approximately 30 cm, width approximately 25 cm, depth approximately 2 cm. (Based on measurements taken with a tape measure, rounded).
Dating and provenance: According to the inscription on the back, dated 1835. Painter: L. Neelmeyer (inscription on the back, see photo). Motif: Ursula Döttinger (name on the back). Stylistic classification: Germany, Biedermeier period.
Representation and iconography
The painting depicts a half-figure portrait of an older or mature woman, identified as Ursula Döttinger. The figure is portrayed from a slight upward view and looks directly at the viewer, creating a personal and approachable atmosphere.
Clothing and accessories
The depicted person wears a dark, voluminous head covering that resembles a fur or velvet cap and is typical of the bourgeois or rural attire of the early 19th century.
Around the neck lies a black scarf or a neckerchief.
She wears a broad, white-blue striped cloth or a wrap (probably linen or wool), which is artfully draped.
The clothing in the shoulder area is in a deep brown-red tone.
A golden earring (probably a hoop or stud earring) is visible in the right ear.
Background and lighting: The woman is positioned indoors, suggested by a window on the left side, in front of which a white curtain hangs. In the window area, there is a potted plant (probably myrtle or similar). The light falls softly from the left, shaping the face.
Gesture and expression: The expression is serious but calm and composed. The slight redness in the cheeks and eyes indicates a naturalistic depiction, which in Biedermeier art valued honest, unembellished representation. The portrait conveys intimacy and respect for the personality of the subject.
Technique and painting style
Painting technique: oil on linen. The color is applied opaquely. Brushwork: The painting style is relatively concise but purposeful.
Face: Finer modeling of the facial features and eye area. The cheeks are accented with vivid red, a typical iconography of the folk portrait painting of this period, which aimed to emphasize health and vitality.
Clothing/background: The style here is broader and less detailed, especially in the area of clothing and the window. The textures of the fabric are suggested through thick, parallel brushstrokes.
Colorfulness: The image comes alive through the contrast between earthy tones (brown-red of the clothing, ochre of the background) and the cool, accentuating colors (blue and white of the scarf, black of the headscarf and hat).
Stylistic and Historical Classification
Stylistic classification: The work belongs stylistically to the epoch of Biedermeier (ca. 1815–1848).
Biedermeier portrait: Characteristic is the focus on the bourgeois subject and domestic intimacy. Emphasis was placed on a realistic, often somewhat strict and psychologically insightful depiction without heroic exaggeration. The portrayal of Ursula Döttinger aligns with the ideal of an honest, domestic portrait.
Regional style: The combination of detailed faces with broadly painted garments, the clear contouring of the cheeks, and the folk costume indicate the regional portrait painting of the German-speaking area, often executed by craftsmen or less academically trained painters.
Artist L. Neelmeyer: Without further references, L. Neelmeyer is probably a locally active portraitist or a painter who worked on commission from bourgeois families. A more detailed art historical research would be necessary for a precise biographical classification. The dating of 1835 is perfectly placed for stylistic classification.
Condition and documentation
Condition: The canvas appears to be in good to moderate condition due to age. Noticeable craquelure (cracks in the paint layer) and areas of abrasion are visible. The surface shows a patina. The motif is overall stable and well preserved.
Documentation: The handwritten inscription on the back is a crucial, primary source for the provenance and identity of the work.
Portrait of Ursula Döttinger
L. Neelmeyer
1835
The inscription confirms the authenticity of the depicted subject and its dating, which makes it a work from the Biedermeier period of great art historical significance.
Details
Artist
Austrian school (XIX)
Sold with frame
Yes
Title of artwork
Portrait der Ursula Döttinger
Technique
Oil painting
Signature
Not signed
Country of Origin
Austria
Year
1835
Condition
Fair condition
Height
30 cm
Width
25 cm
Depiction/Theme
Portrait
Style
Realism
Period
19th century
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