This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by German artist Anton Benno Zottmayr (1795-1865) depicts a gentleman holding a letter. Zottmayr was an accomplished painter of portraits, working during the Biedermeier period.
Attired in a fine black suit with matching necktie and pleated white shirt, he’s a man of distinguished comportment. He’s a “chest out, shoulders back” kind of chap and waxes his moustache with keen attentiveness. In his left hand, he holds a missive and points his index finger towards the wax seal. Presumably, it’s usually imprinted with his family heraldry but, alas, not displayed on the painting.
Born in Amberg, Zottmayr was raised amid relatively affluent surroundings as his father, Balthasar Zottmayr, was an appeals court lawyer. As such, his early years were spent developing his nous for legal matters, studying at both the Royal Institute and the Royal Seminary in his hometown.
It’s likely that law would’ve become his full-time vocation but, following the death of his uncle, he inherited a valuable collection of paintings, which altered his mindset irrevocably. From this point on, he was so taken by the beauty of the pieces at hand that he dedicated his life to pursuing art as a career.
His first step was to enrol at the prestigious Munich Academy of Fine Arts where he began to specialise as a portrait painter while also producing historical and religious works. His training served him well as, before long, he was undertaking numerous commissions for middle-class patrons.
He lived during the ‘Biedermeier period’, a time of great change, whereby the middle class were evolving. Interior decoration became high on the agenda, along with presenting an image of moderation, modesty and contentment. Portraits were integral to the home, particularly as the aristocratic ‘old money’ had walls adorned with them.
Artists flourished, producing detailed scenes to celebrate family values and meticulous portraiture. Each sitter was rendered akin to a miniature, agonised over. Expression was frowned upon, these new patrons sought to convey permanence rather than fleeting emotions. Indeed, it’s fair to say that the sitters themselves became objectified, somewhat akin to precious artefacts placed upon a walnut sideboard.
Zottmayr travelled extensively, including trips to Lake Constance and Vienna, but made Munich his permanent home. His son, Ludwig Zottmayr (1828-1899), was a well-known bass-baritone.
Held in a later frame.
Learn more about Anton Benno Zottmayr in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 30½” x 38½” / 78cm x 98cm
Year of creation: c. 1850
Provenance: Private collection, Vienna / Private collection, Upper Austria.
Condition: Canvas relined. Later stretcher. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame in excellent condition.
Our reference: BRV1995
