Franz Xavier Winterhalter (1805-1873)

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Early life and formation as an artist Winterhalter

German painter Franz Xaver Winterhalter was born on April 20, 1805 in the small village of Menzenschwand in southern Germany. Gave the world the future of the talented masters of portraiture farmer and noble. The family Winterhalter had eight children, of which only half was destined to reach adulthood. Warm relationship with his family, which Winterhalter treasured all his life to be envied, as was the closest brother Herman, also a painter.

The ability to draw appeared he still in their teens. In 1818, 13-year-old boy leaves his native village, in Freiburg, in the art studio to study lithography and fine arts. In 1825 he came to Munich, where he received an allowance issued to them by the Grand Duke of Baden, and taught at the Art Academy in Munich. However, the first teacher training methods seem to be unacceptable for a talented and ambitious young men and to find a suitable leader, he gets to Joseph Shtileru. Training period Winterhalter combines with lithographic practice, in order to feed themselves.

In 1828 Winterhalter appoint a teacher of fine arts of Sofia, the Grand Duchess of Baden, which opened the door for him in court society. The Grand Duke of Baden, Leopold honors for his support of the young painter and appoints him as his court painter. At this time, Winterhalter is working on portraits of members of the ducal dynasty. Having secured the patronage of the Noble, Winterhalter goes to Italy, where he first declares itself outside their home country, having written several works in the genre of romantic style of Louis-Leopold Robber.

1834 was marked by Winterhalter return to his native German lands. He stops in Karlsruhe, where he received the appointment of court painter. His stay in his native land gave the world such portraits of royalty, as Ludwig, Count von Langenstein, Baron Echtal and many others.

By the end of 1934 Vintelhalter decides to go to France. Position court painter no longer suited the young artist and crooked, and the German school of painting was alien to him. Vintelhalter wanted to achieve fame, corresponding to the level of his skill. Going to the French capital, he rode almost unknown, because he lacked the recommender, but this bold move was decisive in his life.

Conquest of Europe

In Paris, Winterhalter is working on portraits of the Prince of Wagram and his daughter. Later, his portrait in his books Luisa Maria of Orleans. As a crucial role in its success was played, which shows the queen of Belgium, and her son, so Vintelhanetere know about the queen of France, Maria Amalia Naples

Winterhalter fame as a master of portraiture, whose works combine not only a striking resemblance to the object, but the object of his ability to apply creativity in a good light came after he was admitted to a court painter to the king of France, Louis Phillip wrote about 30 portraits of members of the dynasty.

The next country, which was to be conquered by a talented artist Winterhalter, was England. It was there that since 1842 he is working on a series consisting of 120 portraits, including Prince Albert with his family members, as well as Queen Victoria and many English aristocrats of the XIX century.

Work on a portrait afflict English critics who are alien to the artistic style of Winterhalter. His talent is being questioned, primarily due to the fact that the works of the artist sees the beauty depicted flattering exaggeration, lack of taste in the master and "rough brushstrokes." Today it seems ridiculous, because the wizard flawless, and such chicanery can only be caused only by the fact that Winterhalter, not being of English origin, has earned kudos at the very Queen Victoria!

Already a popular artist in European countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, do not forget about Winterhalter and conquered them in France. During the reign of Napoleon III's portrait is honored to be the main artist of the imperial family. Excitement around Winterhalter was incredible! Royalty, Princess and Countess dreamed the whole of Europe to get the canvas with his picture, written by Winterhalter! According to the Alexandre Dumas, so the ladies would be the subject of creativity eminent connoisseur of portraiture that waited in line and twelve months, and could wait three years! Each had its own serial number, but royals, of course, did not extend to all ordinal.

The exact number of portraits of famous personages of Europe XIX century, written by Winterhalter, alas, is impossible, since not all of them have survived to the present day, however, this figure is just over a thousand. Contemporaries also can see them in museums in New York, Paris, London and elsewhere.

Representatives of Russian high society of the XIX century in the works Winterhalter

Could not remain indifferent to the glory of the popular portrait painter and Russian ladies of high society. What is surprising, because every girl dreamed titled capture its beauty forever, and the more hands Winterhalter. Only he could convey the sparkle in his eyes that made it unique each of models, and how to use the paints he portrayed the beauty and richness of fabrics! Satin, velvet dresses jets and shimmer in the portraits of this great artist, so that for a moment and you can forget about the fact that this is only the work of brushes and paints!

1856 Winterhalter painting a portrait of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. But the real fame in Russia brings Winterhalter painting in 1857, which shows the wife of Alexander II, Maria Romanova. In Paris a fashionable portraitist Winterhalter attracts many Russian princely owner and princely titles. Winterhalter painted a portrait of Barbara Troubetzkoy, Naryshkina Sophia, Sophia Bobrinsk, Elizabeth Troubetzkoy, Mary Beck and many others. But do not think that virtuoso ceremonial portrait sympathized only Russian high society ladies! Paul Count Shuvalov and Alexei Bobrinsky also ordered their portraits in this painter. The most popular Vintelhaltera same cloth, which depicts a Russian lady is a portrait of Barbara Rimsky-Korsakov - the object of love of the great masters. Natural talent combined with the feeling of love, Winterhalter allowed to create a true masterpiece of world art, which can now be seen in Paris, the Musée d'Orsay.

All the works on which Winterhalter depicted Russian high society lady, alas, do not count, because a large number of them lost among such a portrait, which depicts Emperor Alexander II. The artist himself in Russia never came, but many of the portraits of Russian royalty, written by him can be found in museums in cities such as St. Petersburg, Penza and Saratov.

The last years of his life portrait

In the twilight of his life virtuoso portraiture continued to travel around Europe, in Vienna in the year 184 he wrote the work, which depicts Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elizabeth. In 1868, a fashionable artist devoted much time to the implementation of a self-portrait Uffizi Gallery, which is a real honor for Winterhalter, since this is only awarded elected European masters canvas and brushes. 1870 was marked by Winterhalter disease and treatment in Switzerland, this period coincided with the collapse of the Second French Empire. After a course of treatment, Winterhalter returned to his native Germany, he stopped in Karlsruhe, in this period, it is practically not engaged in creativity. In 1873, in Frankfurt, Winterhalter ill with typhus. Artist died July 8, 1873, having lived 68 years. Winterhalter earned fame freelance artist, because his whole life was just in the process of writing portraits same tie the knot, he never had the good fortune.

Franz Xaver Winterhalter will always be a great master of formal portrait. Let some critics of the XIX century and tried to deny the talent of this great painter, alas, is the destiny of all the famous people. A century later, the skill Winterhalter has no one no doubt, but his ability to convey not only a portrait likeness, but it accents on the merits of appearance and to capture on canvas the amazing beauty can only be admired! In today's global Winterhalter painting is one of the most famous portrait painters of the XIX century.