Artwork
Portrait of the Elder Son of R.F.Hermann
Portrait of the Elder Son of R.F.Hermann is an oil painting by the Realist artist Carl Johann Lasch. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. Created in 1856, the oil painting titled *Portrait of the Elder Son of R.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1856, the oil painting titled *Portrait of the Elder Son of R.F. Hermann* presents a solitary young male figure rendered in a realistic manner. The work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings, where it is displayed among other 19th‑century European pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas portrays a youthful man dressed in a dark coat, white collar and black bow tie, his head turned slightly away from the viewer. The plain, shadowy background isolates the sitter, emphasizing his demeanor and the subtle expression conveyed through the softened lighting on his face.
Technique & Style
Lasch employed a smooth, controlled brushwork that models gentle transitions of light and shade across the subject’s features and attire. The handling of chiaroscuro creates a delicate contrast between the illuminated facial planes and the surrounding darkness, allowing the figure to emerge with a quiet presence.
History & Provenance
Born in Leipzig in 1822, Carl Johann Lasch studied at the Dresden Academy under Eduard Bendemann before continuing his training in Munich with Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld and Wilhelm von Kaulbach. After its completion, the portrait entered the collection of the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s permanent exhibition.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Carl Johann Lasch (July 1, 1822 in Leipzig – August 28, 1888 in Moscow) was a German artist of historical paintings.
Portrait of a young man
Portrait of a Gentleman
Presumed Self-Portrait
The painter Leopold Brunner the Younger
Juan Perea
Portretul lui P. Lochmann
Arkkitehti, insinööri Georg Theodor Polycron Chiewitz (1815-1862)
Alberto Cavos
The Painter Carlos Luis de Ribera
Portrait of a man in a fur
Portrait of Jan Zawiejski
Self-Portrait