Tischbein; Johann Friedrich August
(1750 Maastricht - 1812 Heidelberg)

Portrait of Karl August B鰐tiger with Brown Coat. Oil on canvas. Relined. 67 x 53cm. Framed.

Cf. literature:
- Adolf Stoll; Der Maler F. A. Tischbein und seine Familie; Stuttgart 1923.
- Martin Franke; F. A. Tischbein; Leben und Werk; Phil Diss.; Vol. 3; 1993 (Typoscript).
- Sp鋞barock und Klassizismus. Bestandskatalog der Gem鋖de in den Staatlichen Museen
Kassel; edited by Stefanie Heraeus; Wolffratshausen 2003.


The size and posture of this portrait of a gentleman correspond to a type of portrait painting popular around 1800; which Johann Friedrich Tischbein adhered to in several of his portrait commissions. Turned slightly to the left; wearing an unpretentious brown coat and vest with a stand-up collar and a cravat wrapped in multiple layers; which is enhanced by ruffles. The gaze of the portrayed is directed straight at the viewer. The background remains undefined.
The portrait impresses with the specific direction of lighting so very typical of F. A. Tischbein; which puts both the face and the softly drawn complexion of the portrayed at the centre of the painting. Without any accessories that might hint at his profession or social standing; this portrait is foremost documentary in character; and thus resembles the category of portraits of ancestors and scholars.
The condition of this painting it impaired by its relining. It was probably rolled-up and the reason for this procedure. The portrait was painted in 1795 in Weimar; shortly after F. A. Tischbein arrived there from Holland; and it depicts the classical philologist; archaeologist and writer Karl August B鰐tiger (1760 - 1835); who was the headmaster of the Wilhelm-Ernst-Gymnasium in Weimar. Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803) had encouraged B鰐tiger's appointment to Weimar. This granted him access to the group of scholars orbiting around J. W. von Goethe. F. A. Tischbein probably came into contact with B鰐tiger through Herder.
The portraits of Johann Gottfried Herder und Christopf Martin Wieland (1733-1813) rank among his most important portraits painted during his stay in Weimar. A similar; though probably slightly smaller version of this portrait is at Gleimhaus in Halberstadt.

Dr. Marianne Heinz; Kassel Oktober 2017

Art trade; Van Ham.