This fine early 20th-century oil painting by Austrian artist Rudolf Hausleithner (1840-1918) depicts a young lady in profile. Hausleithner was an accomplished painter of religion, history, genre scenes and portraits.
Daylight illuminates porcelain skin creating gentle chiaroscuro. The cheeks, a little flushed, are rendered with dexterity. It feels sensitive as if he knows her and somehow alludes to her spirit. It’s a masterclass in subtle handling, a tender portrayal.
Born the son of a teacher, Hausleithner was an academy man who studied at two of Europe’s foremost institutions - the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. As such, he was encouraged by his tutors to learn from the old masters, the foremost figures of the 16th and 17th centuries, while also analysing classical sculptures. Learning to draw was paramount, understanding the human form in all its complexity. Only then could he progress on to working with paint.
Following his training, head spinning with the works of Raphael, Michelangelo, Dürer and Rembrandt, he developed a reputation as a painter of historical, allegorical and genre subjects. History/allegory was a popular subject in the academic world, while genre scenes were fashionable with bourgeois patrons. In 1882, he produced his enchanting depiction of ‘Beethoven’s Vision’. There’s a Paolo Veronese quality to it.
He also became a portrait painter of distinction, celebrated for his depiction of Emperor Franz Joseph I among others. He produced numerous portraits for various dignitaries throughout his extensive career. Little is known about his activities in later life but it’s plausible that, like his father before him, he too became a teacher.
This piece was appraised at 7000-9000 euros in 2021 by an auction in Vienna.
Monogrammed on the right and held in a frame, which is probably original.
Learn more about Rudolf Hausleithner in our directory.
Medium: Oil on wood
Overall size: 11½” x 14” / 29cm x 36cm
Year of creation: c. 1900
Labels & Inscriptions: Viennese supplier’s stamp on the reverse.
Provenance: Private collection, Vienna.
Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £8,657 for ‘Crown Prince Rudolf Visits the Vienna Screw and Rivet Factory (1877)’, Oil on canvas, Vienna, Austria, 2023.
Our reference: BRV1914
