Face to Face. 19th-century Austrian portrait painting

Putting a face to an epoch of change.

19th-century Austrian portraiture underwent a process of democratisation which led to a variety of expressive forms in painting – from the portrayal of rulers to the increasing representation of members of the bourgeoisie. This trend of having portraits painted offered a means of self-presentation, and the resulting works are remarkable for their wealth of painting styles, types and techniques.

The exhibition includes portraits of rulers, families, children, men, women, studio scenes and self-portraits. The subjects are presented as they wished to be seen. This development was further encouraged during the 1860s with the advent of photography, and is currently finding new manifestations in self-staging on Instagram etc. Today, the portrait in its various facets is a constant accompaniment, right up to the image in a passport or driving licence for purposes of identification.

Curators: Astrid Ducke, Thomas Habersatter

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Jószef Arpád Koppay Baron von Drétoma, Maria Bonn, 1903

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Heinrich Friedrich Füger, Portrait of the artist's son, Heinrich Adam Füger, at the age of four, c. 1795

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Fritz Schider, Self-portrait of the artist in his studio, 1892 or 1902

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Gustav Klimt, Portrait of an unknown woman (Mrs Heymann?), ca. 1894

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Peter Krafft, Marie Krafft at the desk, around 1830

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Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Gierster family portrait, 1838

Artists

Anton Einsle, Anna Hüffel, née Einsle, the artist’s daughter, c. 1870

Adams, Aigner, von Amerling, von Angeli, von Blaas, Daffinger,
Einsle, Fertbauer, Granitsch, Klimt, Kokoschka, Koppay, Krafft,
Krämer, Kreutzinger, von Lampi d. Ä., List, Makart, von Matsch,
Nesselthaler, Reiter, Ritter, Romako, Schider, Temple, Waldmüller,
Weikert, Zeller

The exhibition catalogue (€ 19.-) is available in the museum shop and online at shop.domquartier.at.