Adolph von Menzel

ADOLPH VON MENZEL (Wroclaw, 1815-Berlin,1905)
"Portrait".1889.
Pencil on paper.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 39 x 32,5 cm; 56,5 x 48 cm (frame).

This pencil portrait by Adolph von Menzel condenses in a few strokes the acute psychological penetration of an artist who knew how to reveal the inner truth of his models. The portrayed character, an old man with an expressive face, wears an ushanka-type cap. The raised eyebrows tense the forehead, which folds into fine wrinkles. A bushy moustache contributes to the personality of the sitter, although the expressive center is above all the eyes, dwarfed by age, between pronounced bags, vivid and deeply concentrated, engrossing the character. This portrait shows an extraordinary ability to capture the temperament of the figure. It is a study charged with humanity.

Adolph von Menzel was an outstanding German painter and draughtsman, considered one of the greatest exponents of pictorial realism in Germany during the 19th century. Born in Wroclaw (present-day Wroc?aw, Poland), Menzel showed remarkable artistic talent from a young age. After the death of his father in 1832, he took over the management of the family lithographic workshop in Berlin. His first significant work was the illustration of Goethe's poem "Künstlers Erdenwallen," published in 1833. Between 1839 and 1842, he produced more than 400 drawings to illustrate Franz Kugler's "History of Frederick the Great", introducing the woodcut technique to Germany. Although he initially focused on illustration, Menzel developed an outstanding career as a painter. His works range from historical scenes, such as "The Flute Concert of Frederick the Great at Sanssouci" (1852), to depictions of modern life, such as "The Iron Foundry" (1875), which portrays German industrialization in detail. His style is characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a profound observation of reality. He was widely recognized during his lifetime: in 1898 he was ennobled with the Order of the Black Eagle, becoming "Adolph von Menzel", and received honors from institutions such as the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the Royal Academy in London. After his death in Berlin in 1905, the Kaiser himself attended his funeral, reflecting the high esteem in which he was held.