Anthony van Dyck

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna openend to the public in 1891. Hans Makart (1840–84) had originally been commissioned to execute the painting for the ceiling as well as fanlight, spandrel, and intercolumnar areas as part of the interior decorations in the main staircase of the new built museum. The contract was signed in February 1881; in the same year an imperial delegation was able to view the artist’s initial sketches. Shortly before his death, Makart had completed the fanlight paintings depicting “classical heroes of painting” and their “favourite materials”. The hitherto accepted identification of the portrait as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618–82) may be subject to question. In Makart’s sketch this fanlight is designated as “Antonius van Dyck”. Indeed, the “model” displays greater similarities with van Dyck’s various depictions of the Lamentation of Christ than with the work of the Spanish artist. For further Information on the building see: Cäcilia Bischoff, The Kunsthistorisches Museum. History, Architecture, Decoration, Vienna 2010