(Augsburg 1690 – after 1768 Munich) Portrait of Prince Elector Maximilian III Joseph of Bavaria (1727–1777), full-length, wearing a cuirass, the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, and the band of the Order of Bavarian Knights of Saint George, with the electoral hat in the background; and Portrait of Marie Anne Sophia, Princess of Saxony (1728–1797), full-length, wearing the Russian Order of Saint Catherine, oil on canvas, each 225 x 139 cm, framed, a pair (2) We are grateful to Helmut Börsch-Supan for suggesting the attribution. In addition we are grateful to Georg Lechner for endorsing the attribution. Franz Joseph Winter’s career at the Munich court spanned the reigns of several generations of rulers of the house of Wittelsbach. He was commissioned to paint the portraits of Maximilian II Emanuel (1662–1726), Charles VII Albrecht (1697–1745) and that of Maximilian III Joseph (1727–1777). Unfortunately, biographical information about Winter, is surprisingly scarce. Whilst he is often described as having worked until 1757, he was in fact on the court’s Diet and mentioned in documents as late as 1768 (see C. Hutter, Zwischen Rokoko und Klassizismus: Die Tafelbilder des kurfürstlichen Hofmalers Christian Wink (1738–1797), Munich 2012, p. 18; and Thieme-Becker, Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart, ed. by H. Vollmer, vol. XXXVI, Leipzig 1999, p. 85). Winter apprenticed with Kaspar Sing and worked in Augsburg, before being appointed court painter at the electoral court in Munich. He painted altarpieces, among others for the important monastery churches of Andechs and Ettal (see F.J. Lipowsky, Baierisches Künstlerlexikon, Munich 1810, vol. II, p.171), but was mostly active as portrait painter throughout his career. Important early commissions appear to have been several portraits of Elector Max Emanuel and his wife Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska. A large-scale pair of portraits of the electoral couple, once decorated the walls at Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, but got lost during the war; versions after this pair of portraits are conserved in Nordkirchen Palace (Franz Joseph Winter, Max Emanuel of Bavaria and Theresia Kunigunde of Bavaria, 1725, Jupitersaal, Nordkirchen Palace). Winter’s portraits of the brothers and members of their courts in hunting dress appear to have become the artist’s specialty, as he continued this genre even for the next generation. A full-length portrait which depicts the Counts Preysing and Seinsheim on either side of the Elector Charles VII Albrecht (Moos Castle, then owned by the Preysing family; see M. Miersch, Das Bild des Electeur Soleil. Herrscherikonographie des Rokoko am Beispiel des Kölner Kurfürsten und Deutschordenshochmeisters Clemens August (1700–1761), Marburg 2007, p. 18, fig. 11), is an early example. A full-length depiction of the Elector without the two counts can be found in the audience chamber of the Yellow Apartment in Augustusburg Palace, Brühl (see Miersch, ibid., p. 19, fig. 8). Franz Joseph Winter later portrayed members of Clemens August’s family and their courts, amongst them some of the sitters are depicted wearing blue and silver falconry uniforms, these works were painted for the salon on the ground floor of Falkenlust Palace in Brühl. Winter was a very important portrait painter in Munich, outranked only by George Desmarées (1697–1776), who, unlike Winter, has been the subject of recent scholarly work, even though this catalogue raisonné is still unpublished. Winter seems to have been less of an innovator, he focussed on perfecting established portrait types of which he made variations. This is noticeable in his oeuvre as early as in his portraits of Max Emanuel, which seem to be indebted to models by Joseph Vivien (1657–1734). The present pair must rank, undoubtedly, among the most accomplished works by Winter to have ever come to the market. Both portraits, whilst to some extent inspired by models by Desmarées (see for example the Portrait of Maximilian III Joseph, sold within these rooms, 13 April 2011, lot 405) display a great level of sophistication. Especially the fabrics and embroideries, the crisp lace, soft velvet, shimmering armour, diamonds and stones, ermine and silks are remarkably well painted and beautifully preserved. An official state portrait of Maximilian III Joseph by Winter has not appeared on the market before. There is however an engraving known by Jeremias Gottlob Rugendas (1710–1772) after an apparently lost portrait by Winter of which a print is conserved in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. RP-P-1911-5045). This print features the exact same characteristic physiognomy of Maximilian III Joseph that is seen in the present painting. The embroidered and tasselled drapes decorating the upper part of the present portrait of Marie Anne Sophia seem to recall those featured prominently in the upper part of the engraving. Maximilian III Joseph was very popular with his Bavarian subjects. He was a progressive and enlightened ruler who did much to improve the development of his country. He encouraged agriculture, industry, and exploitation of the mineral wealth of the country. In 1747 the Nymphenburg Porcelain Factory was established, while the Codex Maximilianeus bavaricus civilis, a major codex of common law, was written in 1756. In 1759, he founded Munich’s first academic institution, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Maximilian sold some of the crown jewels to pay for grain imports to relieve hunger during the severe famine in 1770. He was the last of the junior branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty that had ruled Bavaria since early fourteenth century. Maximilian’s death led to a succession dispute and the brief War of the Bavarian Succession (1778). He was succeeded by his twelfth cousin, once removed, the Elector Palatine Charles Theodore from the Palatinate branch of the dynasty. Maximilian’s widow Maria Anna Sophia of Saxony negotiated with Max’s reluctant heir and intervened together with Frederick II of Prussia and the new elector’s presumptive successor, Charles II August, Duke of Zweibrücken, to secure Bavaria’s independence. This is considered her major political success.
Hüftbildnis einer bayerischen Prinzessin In reichem goldbesticktem hellblauem Seidenkleid, wehendem Umhang und Spitzenmanschetten. Vor dunklem Hintergrund. Lwd. 81×64 cm. R. (52915)
This portrait shows the Archbishop and Elector of Cologne, Clemens August von Wittelsbach (1700-1761), in his blue and silver falconry uniform. Only the pectoral cross set with diamonds refers to the sitter's high ecclesiastical dignities. On his gloved left hand he carries a falcon with a feather-crowned cap. The painting is derived from a full-length portrait by Franz Joseph Winter, which depicts the Counts Preysing and Seinsheim on either side of the Elector (Schloss Moos, then owned by the Preysing family, cf. Martin Miersch: Das Bild des Electeur Soleil. Herrscherikonographie des Rokoko am Beispiel des Kölner Kurfürsten und Deutschordenshochmeisters Clemens August (1700-1761), Marburg 2007, p. 18f, fig. 11). A full-length depiction of the Elector without the two counts, and thus even closer to our - probably cropped - painting, can be found in the audience chamber of the Yellow Apartment in Augustusburg Palace in Brühl (cf. Mierscha a.O., p. 19, fig. 8). In addition to the pectoral cross, the elector already wears the cross of the Order of St Michael in this painting. Franz Joseph Winter later painted several portraits of members of Clemens August's family and court in a slightly varied form, but also in blue and silver falconry uniforms, for the salon on the ground floor of Falkenlust Palace in Brühl. Franz Joseph Winter was an artist at the Bavarian court and mainly painted portraits, especially of members of the Wittelsbach family. In addition, he also created altarpieces, among others for the monastery churches of Andechs and Ettal.
Hüftbildnis einer bayerischen Prinzessin In reichem goldbesticktem hellblauem Seidenkleid, wehendem Umhang und Spitzenmanschetten. Vor dunklem Hintergrund. Lwd. 81×64 cm. R. (52915)
Winter, Franz Joseph (um 1690- nach 1756), zugeschrieben Hüftbildnis einer Bayrischen Prinzessin. In reichem goldbesticktem hellblauem Seidenkleid, wehendem Umhang und Spitzenmanschetten. Vor dunklem Hintergrund. Lwd. 81 x 64 cm. R.(52915)
Franz Joseph Winter, um 1690 - nach 1756 Bayerischer Hofmaler in München. Winter war vor der Ernennung von Georg de Marées 1730 der führende Portraitmaler am Hof der Wittelsbacher. BILDNIS DES KURFÜRSTEN KARL ALBRECHT VON BAYERN Öl auf Leinwand. 160,5 x 112,5 cm. Nahezu ganzfigurig, in Lebensgröße, im Harnisch nach links stehend, vor schlierigem Wolkenhimmel, in der linken unteren Zone Andeutung von Landschaft mit hochziehenden Wolken und Andeutung von Rauchwolken, die rechte Hand nach links gerichtet mit einem Feldherrnstab, die linke am Degen. Über den glänzenden Harnisch breites, blau taftseidenes Ordensband mit dem Haus-Ritterorden vom Heiligen Georg, farbig hervorgehoben das rote Ordensband mit dem goldenen Vlies, das unter dem blauen Band durchzieht und dem Gemälde einen wirkungsvollen roten Akzent verleiht, das blaue Umhangtuch über den Harnisch herabgegelitten, flattert nach rechts in bewegten Falten aus. Das Haar am Rücken durch eine Schleife zusammengebunden, fällt in großen Locken zum Rücken herab, die moderne Form der oben flachen Perücke deutet auf eine Entstehung des Bildes einige Jahre nach dem Vorbild hin. Nicht doubliert, die Ecken abgeschrägt, in gutem Zustand. Anmerkung: Laut Gutachten von Prof. Dr. Helmut Börsch-Supan wurde das Portrait einige Jahre nach einem Bildnis des Kurfürsten vom bayerischen Hofmaler Joseph Vivien geschaffen, der sein Gemälde 1722 aus Paris nach München geliefert hatte. Die Darstellung des Herrschers als Feldherr ist als eine Anspielung auf die Türkenkriege zu verstehen. Karl Albrecht, 1697 geboren, 1722 verehelicht mit der jüngsten Tochter Kaiser Joseph I, Anna Amalia, wurde 1741 König von Böhmen und 1742 als Karl VII Albrecht Kaiser des Heiligen Römischen Reichs, er verstarb 1745. Das Gemälde dürfte vermutlich nach 1726 entstanden sein, als Karl Albrecht die Nachfolge seines Vater Max Emanuel als Kurfürst antrat. Dem entspricht auch die moderne Form der gepuderten Haarfrisur. Expertise: Dem Gemälde liegt das Gutachten von Prof. Dr. Helmut Börsch-Supan, datiert Berlin 04.10.2004, bei. Literatur: Dr. Helmut Börsch-Supan, Joseph Vivien als Hofmaler der Wittelsabacher, in: Münchner Jahrbuch der Bildenden Kunst, 1963, S. 178, Abb. 149. (872151) Franz Joseph Winter, circa 1690 - after 1756 Oil on canvas. 160.5 x 112.5 cm. Expertise: An expertise for the painting was provided by Prof. Dr. Helmut Börsch-Supan, dated: Berlin 10.04.2004. Literature: Dr. Helmut Börsch-Supan, Joseph Vivien as Court Painter of the House of Wittelsbach, In: Munich's Visual Arts Yearbook, 1963, p. 178, fig. 149.
WINTER, FRANZ JOSEPH (um 1690- nach 1756), zugeschrieben Hüftbildnis einer Bayrischen Prinzessin. In reichem goldbesticktem hellblauem Seidenkleid, wehendem Umhang und Spitzenmanschetten. Vor dunklem Hintergrund. Lwd. 81 x64 cm. R. (52915)
WINTER, FRANZ JOSEPH (um 1690- nach 1756), zugeschrieben Hüftbildnis einer bayerischen Prinzessin. In reichem goldbesticktem hellblau-em Seidenkleid, wehendem Umhang und Spitzenmanschetten. Vor dunklem Hintergrund. Lwd. 81 x 64 cm. R. (52915) (3500
