A fine mid-19th-century portrait of a young lady with a pigeon by German artist, Carl Wagner (1796-1867). The lady is clutching her beloved bird with affection as she stands before a field with an open view.

Images such as these were popular in the early to mid-19th-century when many artists sought to celebrate nature and our role within it. The ‘Romantics’, such as Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840), looked to imbue their work with an extra sense of imagination as they considered nature’s infinite power and beauty.

Carl Wagner was known as an important figure within this movement and is particularly well-regarded for his landscapes and scenes. He studied at Dresden Art Academy and many of his works are held in museum collections.

The painting is housed within a suitable later frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 36½” x 46” / 93cm x 117cm
Year of creation: c. 1840
Provenance: England
Condition: Very presentable with some areas of craquelure as you would expect.
Artist’s auction highlight: £14,122 achieved for ‘Landschaft bei Amalfi’ at an auction in 2017.