Beethoven (Mähler, 1804–05)
Joseph Willibrord Mähler's portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven
|
|
| Artist | Joseph Willibrord Mähler |
|---|---|
| Year | 1804–1805 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Location | Vienna Museum, Vienna |
| Owner | City of Vienna |
| Website | Beethoven Pasqualatihaus |
Joseph Willibrord Mähler's portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven, painted in approximately 1804 or 1805, is the first of four untitled portraits the painter made of the composer. Today it hangs in the Pasqualati House of the Vienna Museum.
Joseph Willibrord Mähler was introduced to Beethoven by Stephan von Breuning (1774–1827). Though eventually a court secretary, Mähler was interested in music, was a good singer and did some composing. Beethoven took him to one rehearsal of Leonore in 1805.
What is known about the painting stems from Alexander Wheelock Thayer's biography. He first came across the original Mähler painting during a research visit (for his Beethoven biography) to Caroline Barbara van Beethoven (born Naske), the widow of Karl Beethoven, the composer's nephew. Because Thayer owned a copy, he was particularly interested in learning about the circumstances under which it was painted. He considered this painting the most interesting and engaging of the portraits he had encountered. He later interviewed Joseph Willibrord Mähler on May 24, 1860. Thayer characterized the friendship between Beethoven and Mähler as one where composer's kindness was returned by Mähler with warm affection and admiration for composer's genius. In offering recollections of Beethoven, Mähler spoke of his 1804 portrait and wondered where it was. To his question, Thayer responded that it belonged to the widow of Karl Beethoven. Mähler then revealed that he had a copy of it.
Mähler painted four portraits of Beethoven. Only the first image, dated by Thayer at 1804–05, contains a nearly full view of the composer. Beethoven apparently liked this portrait very much and owned it until his death.
There are only three references to this portrait in contemporary Beethoven sources:
In an extended article, Owen Jander discusses the symbolism embedded within Beethoven's fifth symphony and the portrait, hypothesizing that both works were a "ritualized confrontation" – a public yet veiled declaration of the composer's growing deafness, as a means of learning to accept it. Jander proposes that much of 18th to 19th century portrait painting can be considered self-portraits, commissioned at significant times in a person's life in which the details of the portrait were laid out by the subject. Elements such as the subject's pose, facial expression, clothing, accompanying objects and gestures are all part of the conventions of portraiture. Similarly, if any of these elements is depicted in such a way that diverges from typical depictions, that strengthens the message they intend to communicate by drawing in the viewer's attention. Contrasting gestures between right and left arm are typical and serve to sensitize the viewer to summon interpretation, or in the words of critic Philip Conisbee, a "narrative portrait with a didactic purpose."
...
Wikipedia