Lot 647: Rechlin, Carl(around) 1804 - 1882 - attributedworked in Berlin. Crown prince Frederick William of Prussia being rebuked by his military instructor Eduard von Bonin in Wroclaw, shortly before the deployment of the troops.

Rechlin, Carl
(around) 1804 - 1882 - attributed
worked in Berlin.

Crown prince Frederick William of Prussia being rebuked by his military instructor Eduard von Bonin in Wroclaw, shortly before the deployment of the troops. Oil on canvas. Laid down on fibreboard. 60 x 83cm. Framed.

On verso:
Old handwritten gummed label with description of the representation and the represented persons.

Expertise:
Prof. Dr. Börsch-Supan, Berlin, (as original), 13 September 2010.

Provenance:
Collection Frederieke von Bonin (Great-great-grandchild of Eduard von Bonin, Prussian minister of war 1852-1854).

The painting was given to the infantry general and royal Prussian Minister Eduard von Bonin by King Frederick William IV of Prussia at the occasion of the former's 50 years of service anniversary.
According to the previous owner the painting features crown prince Frederick William, later King Frederick William IV, and at his side (gesturing) her great-great-grandfather lieutenant-general Eduard von Bonin, later on Minister of War, in front of the First Foot Guards in Wroclaw in the spring of 1813 shortly before being deployed to the War of the Sixth Coalition. Right in front of the crown prince stands Colonel von Gaudy. In this work, King Frederick William IV had Eduard von Bonin's dog, named "Boy", eternalised, too. The dog later died in the battle of Bautzen (so-called Degensprunghistorie /sword jump history). The affenpinscher had often attracted the crown prince's attention who repeatedly made the animal jump over his sword despite Bonin's warnings. As his warnings were of no avail von Bonin decided to rebuke the crown prince right in front of the whole regiment pointing out the latter's unseemly manners. The painting captures that moment.