Lot 91: ANTON FRIEDRICH KÖNIG (GERMAN, 1722-1787)

The Prussian Royal Silver Wedding Anniversary Portrait: Frederick the Great (1712-1786), King of Prussia presenting a posy of pink roses and holding the right hand of his wife Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern (1715-1797); he in uniform of the Prussian Life Guards, blue coat with red collar and silver lacings and button holes, black trousers and black cravat, black tricorn hat under his left arm and wearing the orange moiré sash and breast-star of the Royal Prussian Order of the Black Eagle and she in pink dress with lace bodice and cuffs, black lace shawl draped over her shoulders, jewelled necklace, bracelets and earrings, and lace-bordered black scarf in her upswept and powdered curled hair; garden background set with obelisk with two oval escutcheons surmounted by coronet inscribed 'SALTZTAHL XII IVN MDCCXXXIII'
rectangular, 4 1/8 x 3 3/8 in. (104 x 86 mm.), modern Rococo-style gilt-metal frame

with Dr Robert Keil, Vienna (in 1997).

The inscription on the obelisk refers to the marriage of King Frederick the Great and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern at Salzdahlum Castle near Brunswick, on 12 June 1733. An autograph replica is in the Foundation of the House of Hesse, Fasanerie Castle, Adolphseck, Fulda (illustrated in H. Retzlaff, Fasanerie, Fulda, 1959, p. 75). Retzlaff (ibid.) indicates that the miniature was painted on the occasion of the Silver Wedding Anniversary of the couple in 1758.

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.