Artwork

Princess Auguste Amelie of Bavaria

Princess Auguste Amelie of Bavaria, by Michele Bisi, paint, 1806
Princess Auguste Amelie of Bavaria, by Michele Bisi, paint, 1806

Princess Auguste Amelie of Bavaria is a paint print by the Romanticist artist Michele Bisi. It dates from 1806 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

In 1806 Michele Bisi, an Italian engraver and painter from Genoa, produced a color engraving portraying Princess Auguste Amelie of Bavaria. The work presents the young royal in a composed pose, set against a muted dark‑gray backdrop, and exemplifies the early‑19th‑century interest in refined portraiture through print media.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows the princess with dark, curled hair secured by a gold headband, dressed in a white gown trimmed with gold detailing and a green shawl draped over her left arm. The attire and accessories convey the courtly elegance expected of a Bavarian royal, while the restrained composition emphasizes her dignified presence.

Technique & Style

Bisi employed a color engraving process that follows the meticulous reproductive traditions of Francesco Bartolozzi, Francesco Rosaspina, and Giuseppe Longhi. The print combines fine line work with subtle tonal variations, allowing the gold accents and fabric textures to emerge with clarity, characteristic of the detailed, almost painterly approach of these earlier masters.

Context

Created during the height of the Romantic era, the portrait reflects the period’s fascination with individual character and refined sentiment. Although an engraving rather than an oil painting, its emphasis on personal elegance and nuanced coloration aligns it with contemporary Romantic portraiture trends.

History & Provenance

The work remains attributed to Bisi, whose career spanned both engraving and painting in early 19th‑century Italy. Documentation links the piece directly to its 1806 execution, and it has been catalogued as part of collections documenting royal portraiture of the Bavarian house.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Michele Bisi

Artist

Michele Bisi

Michele Bisi (18 April 1788 – 26 December 1874) was an Italian engraver and painter born in the Republic of Genoa.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.