Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Éliézer et Rebecca
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm. 11 13/16 x 15 ¾ in.
Private collection
After the death of Sarah, Isaac, her son, was lonely; and as he was now old enough to marry, Abraham went about finding a wife for Isaac, who was already 37 years old. He commanded his servant, Eliezer of Damascus, to journey to his birthplace of Aram Naharaim to select a bride from his own family.
As Eliezer stood at the central well in Abraham's birthplace with his men and ten camels laden with goods, a young girl immediately came out and offered to draw water for him to drink, as well as water to fill the troughs for all his camels.
The servant recounted the oath he made to Abraham and all the details of his trip to and meeting with Rebecca in fine detail, after which her brother Laban and her father Bethuel agreed that she could return with him. Her family sent her off with her nurse, Deborah, and blessed her. More on Rebekah's journey to Canaan
Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Gideon, c. between 1795 and 1796
Oil on canvas
233 × 263 mm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
Gideon was a military leader, judge and prophet whose calling and victory over the Midianites are recounted in chapters 6 to 8 of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible.
Gideon was the son of Joash, from the Abiezrite clan in the tribe of Manasseh and lived in Ephra (Ophrah).[2] As a leader of the Israelites, he won a decisive victory over a Midianite army despite a vast numerical disadvantage, leading a troop of 300 'valiant' men. More on Gideon
Although Maulbertsch produced easel paintings of great beauty (Holy Kindred, St. Narcissus, Self-portrait), he is chiefly and justly famous for his frescoes. In Vienna and other cities of Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, and Hungary he created scores of vibrantly dramatic and brilliantly colored frescoes filled with an intense and highly personal religious feeling, beginning with the dome (1752) of the Church of Maria Treu in Vienna. Only the most outstanding can be mentioned here: the frescoes in the churches at Heiligenkreuz-Gutenbrunn (1757) and Sümeg in Hungary (1758), in the archepiscopal palace (1758-1760) at Kremsier (Kroměříž) in Moravia, and in the church (1765; destroyed in World War II) at Schwechat near Vienna. These examples of his early period are characterized by agitated compositions, shifting, fragmented color, and elongated ecstatic figures.
(Circle) Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
The judgment of Solomon, c. 1785/1790
Oil on canvas
150 × 115 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
The Judgement of Solomon is a story from the Hebrew Bible in which Solomon ruled between two women both claiming to be the mother of a child. Solomon revealed their true feelings and relationship to the child by suggesting the baby be cut in two, each woman to receive half. With this strategy, he was able to discern the non-mother as the woman who entirely approved of this proposal, while the actual mother begged that the sword might be sheathed and the child committed to the care of her rival. Some consider this approach to justice an archetypal example of an impartial judge displaying wisdom in making a ruling. The Judgement of Solomon
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
The beheading of John the Baptist, c. 1755
Oil on canvas
59 x 41 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
John the Baptist (sometimes called John in the Wilderness; also referred to as the Angel of the Desert) was the subject of at least eight paintings by the Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610).
The story of John the Baptist is told in the Gospels. John was the cousin of Jesus, and his calling was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. He lived in the wilderness of Judea between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, "his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." He baptised Jesus in the Jordan.
According to the Bible, King Herod's daughter Salome requested Saint John the Baptist's beheading. She was prompted by her mother, Herodias, who sought revenge, because the prophet had condemned her incestuous marriage to Herod. More John the Baptist
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
Susanna before the judges, around 1750/1755
Oil on canvas
57 x 68 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
A fair Hebrew wife named Susanna was falsely accused by lecherous voyeurs. As she bathes in her garden, having sent her attendants away, two lustful elders secretly observe the lovely Susanna. When she makes her way back to her house, they accost her, threatening to claim that she was meeting a young man in the garden unless she agrees to have sex with them.
She refuses to be blackmailed and is arrested and about to be put to death for promiscuity when a young man named Daniel interrupts the proceedings, shouting that the elders should be questioned to prevent the death of an innocent. After being separated, the two men are questioned about details of what they saw, but disagree about the tree under which Susanna supposedly met her lover. In the Greek text, the names of the trees cited by the elders form puns with the sentence given by Daniel. The first says they were under a mastic, and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to cuthim in two. The second says they were under an evergreen oak tree, and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to saw him in two. The great difference in size between a mastic and an oak makes the elders' lie plain to all the observers. The false accusers are put to death, and virtue triumphs. More about Susanna
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (workshop) (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
Farewell to the apostles Peter and Paul before their torture death, before 1767
Oil on canvas
45 x 32 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
Self-appointed apostle of Jesus, whom he never met, Paul was born Saul in Tarsus and was probably a Roman citizen. He was definitely a devout Jew, and among those who persecuted the early followers of Jesus for breaking Jewish law. He changed his name to Paul after a revelation convinced him of the truth of Jesus' divinity-this is often called his conversion, though it did not require him to deny Judaism in any way. Paul spent the rest of his life spreading the new faith, and his letters to the various congregations around the Eastern Mediterranean are the only contemporary records from the movement.
Friend and disciple of Jesus, Peter was a fisherman from Galilee. He is sometimes called "Cephas," the Aramaic form of his name, which means "rock." He is often called the leader of the twelve apostles, and by some accounts was the first to call Jesus "Messiah." Immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus, he left Jerusalem, returned after having a vision of Jesus' resurrection. He was present at the revelation of the holy spirit at Pentecost, and imprisoned for his beliefs. According to tradition, he traveled to Rome and served as the first Bishop of Rome before being crucified upside-down. More on Peter and Paul
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724–1796)
The Last Supper, circa 1754
Oil on canvas
Height: 135 cm (53.1 in); Width: 223 cm (87.7 in)
Residenzgalerie Salzburg
The Last Supper is based on a late 15th-century mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan. It is one of the world's most famous paintings.
The painting represents the scene of The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, as it is told in the Gospel of John, 13:21. Leonardo has depicted the consternation that occurred among the Twelve Disciples when Jesus announced that one of them would betray him. More on the The Last Supper
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724–1796)
Erecting the Cross, circa 1757/1758
Oil on canvas
Height: 147 cm (57.8 in); Width: 113 cm (44.4 in)
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
Circle Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Christ on the Cross
Oil on canvas, mounted on cardboard
92.5 x 63.5 cm
Private collection
Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Christ on the Cross, c. 1758–1759Oil on canvas
74.5 × 49.5 cm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
Attributed to Franz Anton Maulbertsch (Austrian, 1724–1796)
Déposition de Croix
Oil on canvas
56 x 38 cm. (22 x 15 in.)
Private collection
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
The stoning of St. Stephen, around 1782/1783
Oil on canvas
35 x 20 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
Stephen or Stephan; traditionally venerated as the first martyr of Christianity, was, according to the Acts of the Apostles, a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death. His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee who would later himself become a follower of Jesus. More on Saint Stephen
From about 1770 a change in Maulbertsch's style can be discerned, with a calmer, more static composition, cooler color, and clearer contours, all the result of his attempts to adjust to the new classicizing ideas becoming popular at the time. In the paintings in the church at Korneuburg (1773) and the frescoes in the Riesensaal (1775) of the Hofburg in Innsbruck and in Mühlfrauen (Dyje) in Bohemia, he shows the influence of these ideas. In his later works, as in the church at Pápa (1782-1783), the archbishop's palace (1783) at Steinamanger (Szombathely) in Hungary, and the library (1794) at Strahov near Prague, his attempts to vitalize the new rationalistic style with reminiscences of his earlier style do not succeed and result in works of high intellectual complexity and great accomplishment but which lack the emotional and visual appeal of those of his youth.
An even later tradition states that he miraculously appeared to fight for the Christian army during the legendary battle of Clavijo, and was henceforth called Santiago Matamoros (Saint James the Moor-slayer). More on Saint James of Compostela
For all of his frescoes Maulbertsch produced oil sketches, which are among the most prized and popular of his works, filled with the expressionistic qualities associated with his name. The most famous is the Victory of St. James at Clavigo (See above), made for the Schwechat frescoes. His etchings, such as the Allegory of Tolerance (1785), glorifying the edict of toleration of Emperor Joseph II (1781) (See above) and the Charlatan and the Peep-show Man (1785), mirrored the new interests in social reform and folklore of the late 18th century. In his Self-portrait (between 1767 and 1794) Maulbertsch created one of the most intriguing, searching Self-portraits in the history of art.
Little is known of the artist's personality, though he was apparently a man of simple, good-natured character, strangely at odds with his very dramatic painting. He lived the life of a quietly successful but not phenomenally wealthy citizen of Vienna. His wife of 34 years died in 1779; they were childless. The next year he married Katherina Schmutzer, the 24-year-old daughter of Jakob Schmutzer, head of the Engravers' Academy in Vienna and his old friend. Two sons were born of this marriage.
Maulbertsch was active in the artistic life of Vienna, participating in academic affairs and helping to found and direct the Pensionsgesellschaft bildender Künstler in 1788, a society created by artists to ensure financial security. He was elected an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts of Berlin the same year. While preparing to continue his work at Steinamanger in the decoration of its Cathedral, he died on Aug. 8, 1796, in Vienna, the last of the great Austrian painters of the 18th century, a relic of the rococo in a new epoch in history. More on Anton Maulbertsch
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724–1796)
Victory of Saint James of Compostela over the Saracens at the Battle of Clavigo, c. from 1762 until 1764
Oil on paper
Height: 32 cm (12.5 in); Width: 48 cm (18.8 in)
Belvedere palace, in Vienna, Austria
James the Great, also known as James, son of Zebedee or as Saint James the Greater, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain.
The 12th-century Historia Compostelana provides a summary of the legend of St. James, as it was believed at Compostela at that time. Two propositions are central to it: first, that St. James preached the gospel in Spain, as well as in the Holy Land; second, that after his martyrdom at the hands of Herod Agrippa, his disciples carried his body by sea to Iberia, where they landed at Padrón on the coast of Galicia, then took it inland for burial at Santiago de Compostela.
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
Glorification of Emperor Joseph II, c. 1781
Oil on canvas
79 x 59 cm
Belvedere palace, in Vienna, Austria
Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 1780 until his death.
He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor Francis I, and the brother of Marie Antoinette.
Joseph was a proponent of enlightened absolutism; however, his commitment to secularizing, liberalizing and modernizing reforms resulted in significant opposition, which resulted in failure to fully implement his programs. Meanwhile, despite making some territorial gains, his reckless foreign policy badly isolated Austria. More on Joseph II
Private collection
The glorification of Constantine the Great
Oil on canvas
37 x 28¼ in. (94 x 71.7 cm.)
Private collection
Constantine I (27 February c. 272 – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from 306 to 337. He was the son of Flavius Constantius, a Roman army officer born in Dardania, who became one of the four emperors of the Tetrarchy. His mother, Helena, was Greek and of low birth. Constantine served with distinction under emperors Diocletian and Galerius, campaigning in the eastern provinces against barbarians and the Persians, before being recalled west in 305 to fight under his father in Britain. After his father's death in 306, Constantine was acclaimed as emperor by the army at Eboracum (York). He emerged victorious in the civil wars against emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of the Roman Empire by 324. More on Constantine I
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (Austrian, Langenargen am Bodensee 1724–1796 Vienna)
The Glorification of the Royal Hungarian Saints, ca. 1772–73
Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 27 1/2 x 19 7/8 in. (70 x 50.5 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
This work, with its sophisticated spatial organization, was executed for the Hungarian Cathedral Basilica of Gyor (Raab) by Maulbertsch, the outstanding Austrian exponent of the Venetian tradition embodied by Tiepolo. Saint Ladislaus I (1040–1095), king of Hungary, appears at lower left, while an earlier king, Saint Stephen (975–1038) and his son, Saint Emeric, are shown at the summit of clouds. Careful use of a subtle range of whites and light gray creates the illusion that the Trinity hovers in the heaven, far above the space. More on this painting
For all of his frescoes Maulbertsch produced oil sketches, which are among the most prized and popular of his works, filled with the expressionistic qualities associated with his name. The most famous is the Victory of St. James at Clavigo (See above), made for the Schwechat frescoes. His etchings, such as the Allegory of Tolerance (1785), glorifying the edict of toleration of Emperor Joseph II (1781) (See above) and the Charlatan and the Peep-show Man (1785), mirrored the new interests in social reform and folklore of the late 18th century. In his Self-portrait (between 1767 and 1794) Maulbertsch created one of the most intriguing, searching Self-portraits in the history of art.
Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724 Langenargen - 1796 Vienna)
The death of Dido, c. 1786
Oil on wood
70.5 x 54 cm
Austrian Gallery Belvedere
One of the Trojan heroes, Aeneas wandered for six years after the fall of Troy and reached Carthage for some rest. The queen Dido welcomed them whole-heartedly and heard their story. During his stay, Aeneas and Dido fell in love with each other and Dido declared him her lord and began to rule Carthage together.
But, Aeneas had many tasks to accomplish yet. He was contacted by Jupiter through Mercury to remind him of his yet to complete tasks. The religious Aeneas had no other choice but obey him.
Dido felt betrayed and ashamed against all her citizens and relatives. At that moment, she cursed Aeneas and declared the enmity between Carthage and Rome which ultimately led those cities into the infamous Punic wars.
After piling a wooden effigy of her deceased husband in their matrimonial bed atop her own funeral pyre, Dido, the queen of Carthage, stabs herself with her lover Aeneas's sword. More on Aeneas and Dido
Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Hector's Farewell from Andromache and Astynax
Oil on canvas
25.5 x 42 cm.
Private collection
The literary source for Hector’s and Andromache’s taking leave of each other is the 6th book of Homer’s Iliad: the heroic Trojan prince Hector, referred to as “the saviour of the city”, is to go to war and is taking leave of his wife Andromache and his son Astyanax. She has a presentiment that her husband will lose his life in the war and with tears in her eyes she tries to keep him back. Hector, meanwhile, is not to be stopped, and Andromache’s worst fears are realised. Hector is killed, the city falls, and as though this were not enough, Astyanax, their son, is thrown from the city wall and dies. According to Homer, at the moment of his departure, Hector wishes for his little son that he might one day become an even greater hero than he himself. More on Hector's Farewell
Little is known of the artist's personality, though he was apparently a man of simple, good-natured character, strangely at odds with his very dramatic painting. He lived the life of a quietly successful but not phenomenally wealthy citizen of Vienna. His wife of 34 years died in 1779; they were childless. The next year he married Katherina Schmutzer, the 24-year-old daughter of Jakob Schmutzer, head of the Engravers' Academy in Vienna and his old friend. Two sons were born of this marriage.
Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Austrian, 1724-1796
Pastoral Serenade, c.1752
Oil on wood panel
9 3/4 x 13 3/8 in. (24.8 x 34 cm.)
The Baltimore Museum of Art
Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Austrian, 1724-1796
Allegorical Sketch for a Ceiling, c. ca. 1759–1760
Oil on canvas
30.3 x 53.7 cm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
Maulbertsch was active in the artistic life of Vienna, participating in academic affairs and helping to found and direct the Pensionsgesellschaft bildender Künstler in 1788, a society created by artists to ensure financial security. He was elected an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts of Berlin the same year. While preparing to continue his work at Steinamanger in the decoration of its Cathedral, he died on Aug. 8, 1796, in Vienna, the last of the great Austrian painters of the 18th century, a relic of the rococo in a new epoch in history. More on Anton Maulbertsch
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