Johann Gottfried Auerbach

Self portrait

Court building director Gundacker von Althann presents Karl VI. the inventory of the imperial art collections
Painting by Francesco Solimena , 1728
Only the portrait heads of the emperor and Althann are from Auerbach

Johann Gottfried Auerbach (born October 28, 1697 in Mühlhausen / Thuringia ; † August 5, 1753 in Vienna ; according to other sources incorrectly * 1679 or 1687; † 1743) was a German painter.

Life

Auerbach was the imperial court painter in Vienna, and he painted excellent portraits , for example of Empress Maria Theresa , Emperor Franz I and other Habsburgs . The Imperial and Royal Gallery in Vienna preserves his portrait of Emperor Karl VI. The monumental equestrian portrait of Prince Eugene of Savoy , which is in the Army History Museum in Vienna, is particularly striking and well-known .

Auerbach was in 1735 by Emperor Karl VI. Appointed imperial court painter, 1741 chamber painter.

In 1728 Charles VI. prepare a three-volume picture inventory and commissioned a dedication picture from the head of the Neapolitan school of painting, Francesco Solimena . On this magnificent baroque painting, the imperial building director presents the emperor with the inventory of his collection - and Fama proclaims Charles VI's artistry. all over the world.

Although Naples was part of the Habsburg monarchy at that time and portraits of those to be depicted would certainly have been available, Solimena did not carry out the portraits himself, but Johann Gottfried Auerbach painted them over the already existing, unlike portraits and moving heads. The iconic portraits of Auerbach, looking rigidly out of the picture, probably fulfilled the courtly need for solemn representation.

Works

Equestrian portrait of Prince Eugene of Savoy , 316 × 237 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum , on permanent loan to the Army History Museum in Vienna.
Prince Eugene in the Battle of Belgrade 1717 , (unsigned, attribution to Auerbach), 119 × 180 cm, Heeresgeschichtliches Museum Wien.
Portrait of Emperor Karl VI. , Oil on canvas, Belvedere , Vienna
Portrait of Emperor Karl VI. , Oil on canvas, Kunsthistorisches Museum (in the Vienna Treasury ).
Portrait of Aloys Thomas Raimund von Harrach .
Side altar paintings on the left Anna, Maria, Josef and on the right Theresia von Avila in the parish church of St. Josef zu Margareten

literature

Constantin von Wurzbach : Auerbach, Johann Gottfried . In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich . 1st part. University book printer L. C. Zamarski (formerly JP Sollinger), Vienna 1856, p. 86 ( digitized version ).

Individual evidence

↑ Johann Christoph Allmayer-Beck : The Army History Museum Vienna. Hall I - From the beginnings of the standing army to the end of the 17th century, Salzburg 1982 p. 30.
^ Manfried Rauchsteiner , Manfred Litscher: * Das Heeresgeschichtliche Museum in Wien , Verlag Styria , Vienna 2000, ISBN 3-222-12834-0 , p. 19.

Web links

Commons : Johann Gottfried Auerbach - Collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Auerbach, Johann Gottfried
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	imperial court painter in Vienna
DATE OF BIRTH	October 28, 1697
PLACE OF BIRTH	Mühlhausen / Thuringia
DATE OF DEATH	August 5, 1753
Place of death	Vienna

[1] Johann Christoph Allmayer-Beck : The Army History Museum Vienna. Hall I - From the beginnings of the standing army to the end of the 17th century, Salzburg 1982 p. 30.

[2] Manfried Rauchsteiner , Manfred Litscher: * Das Heeresgeschichtliche Museum in Wien , Verlag Styria , Vienna 2000, ISBN 3-222-12834-0 , p. 19.