Artwork

Elisabeta, soția lui Carol al VI-lea; pandant: Împăratul Carol al VI-lea

Elisabeta, soția lui Carol al VI-lea; pandant: Împăratul Carol al VI-lea is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Johann Gottfried Auerbach. It dates from 1730 and is held in the collection of the Brukenthal National Museum.

About this work

Overview

This portrait, created by Johann Gottfried Auerbach in 1730, depicts Elisabeta, the wife of Emperor Charles VI. It is a companion piece to a portrait of the emperor.

Subject & Meaning

The subject is shown with a serious expression, wearing formal attire with a low neckline, conveying a sense of dignity and status.

Technique & Style

The artist employed soft lighting to create a smooth, luminous effect on the subject's face, a technique characteristic of portraits from this period used to signify wealth and status.

Context

The use of chiaroscuro, an artistic technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark, is evident in this work, contributing to the subject's prominence against a plain, dark background.

Artist & collection

Artist

Johann Gottfried Auerbach

Auerbach’s paintings put 1730s Habsburg power on the wall. Two of his precise portraits here show Emperor Charles VI and his wife, Empress Elisabeth, dressed in court finery against solid dark backgrounds. His pendant…