The Secret of Art is in the Details

Banks of the Tiber near Acqua Acetos is one of the most beautiful works from the Adrian Ludwig Richter’s early career.

The painting has been done according to classical landscape principles.

The river flows diagonally into the distance.

On the left, the trees with their carefully painted foliage form a curtain.

In the background we see the jagged lines of foothills, but on the horizon, the blue contours of mountains.

This is the bust of the Victor Oscar Tilgner’s contemporary, the famous Austrian painter and graphic artist Hans Makart.

The brush and palette indicates the subject’s profession.

The complicated texture achieves an impression of the subject’s impetuous and romantic nature, but the dynamic of expression is close to the baroque style which is the way Makart painted.

The face expresses passion and temperament. It seems that Makart has been depicted at a time when he was working on one of his large historical composition or an allegorically mythological subject.

Seascapes and ships are a favourite theme for the artist Johann Christian Clausen Dahl.

The shipwreck motif symbolises the dashing of hopes and the inevitable power of destiny.

By depicting survivors, the author indicates man’s ability to overcome the forces of nature and begin life anew.

The Antique subject, the saturated palette, the generous use of gold and the execution are typical of the works produced by the Vienna factory in the 19th century.

The Graces of Charitas are expressing the beauty and youthful comeliness of women and their task was to bring joy to people.

Aglaia - the brilliant.

Thalia - she who brought flowers.

Euphrosyne - she who rejoices the heart.

Seascapes form the most important part of Louis Gabriel Eugène Isabey’s heritage.

The girl in the painting is wearing the characteristic dress of Normandy fisherwomen – white blouse and dark skirt.

In the foreground the basket with fish, clay jug and nets in the sand remind us of a still life composition.

In the background, the figures of women at work merge into the outlines of the ships.

Candelabrum in the form of a family tree presented to Baron Eduard von Fircks (1799-1881) and his wife Antonie von Vietinghoff-Scheel.

If you look carefully, you can see that on the leaves you can read a person's name.

Each branch has one golden leaf. On the leaf you can see a name and a year from which the particular family of the branch started.

The family tree was a gift to a golden wedding anniversary. It was from couple's children.
Dwarf with golden wreath is a symbol of their anniversary.

“The Archer” has the characteristic tendency of symbolism to reflect expressions of the spiritual world, the idea of eternal beauty and the union of man and nature.

The image of the naked youth can be seen as an element of the eternally beautiful and flowering nature.

At the same time, unrest is hidden in this scene of an idyllic world. This is indicated by the long, dark shadows on the surface of the water.

Although in “The Archer” we can’t see the intended target of the arrow, we sense that the harmony in this paradise is about to be destroyed.