Maria Anna, Gemahlin des Kurfürsten Max III. Joseph von Bayern

Desmarées employed a restrained palette and careful modeling to render the textures of fabric and skin. The composition follows the conventions of court portraiture, with a modest background that directs focus to the figure, while subtle chiaroscuro gives depth to the three‑dimensional form.

Created in 1736, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings as part of the museum’s acquisition of Bavarian court artworks. Its provenance traces back to the Bavarian royal collection, where it remained in the family’s inventory before being transferred to the public institution.

The portrait belongs to a period when German electors commissioned works to affirm dynastic legitimacy and display their familial alliances. Desmarées, a Swedish‑born painter active in Munich, was a favored court artist, and this work exemplifies his role in documenting the visual culture of the Bavarian court.