Artwork

Marie Henriette von Waldstein-Wartenburg, soția principelui Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz. Pandant: Principele Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz, general comandant în Transilvania

Marie Henriette von Waldstein-Wartenburg, soția principelui Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz. Pandant: Principele Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz, general comandant în Transilvania, by Johann Gottfried Auerbach, unspecified, 1740
Marie Henriette von Waldstein-Wartenburg, soția principelui Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz. Pandant: Principele Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz, general comandant în Transilvania, by Johann Gottfried Auerbach, unspecified, 1740

Marie Henriette von Waldstein-Wartenburg, soția principelui Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz. Pandant: Principele Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz, general comandant în Transilvania is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Johann Gottfried Auerbach. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the Brukenthal National Museum.

About this work

Overview

Marie Henriette von Waldstein-Wartenburg, Wife of Prince Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz is a portrait by Johann Gottfried Auerbach, dated to 1740. It forms a pendant with the artist's concurrent portrait of her husband, then Commander-in-Chief in Transylvania.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, Marie Henriette, is depicted in quiet contemplation, her subtle expression and elegant attire reflecting her noble status. The overall composition conveys refinement and introspection.

Technique & Style

Auerbach employs a dark, muted background to emphasize the subject, contrasting with the warm, detailed rendering of Marie Henriette's brown dress, white lace trim, and red shawl. The updo hairstyle and restrained facial expression are characteristic of mid-18th-century portraiture's balance between formality and intimacy.

History & Provenance

Created in 1740 as a pair with the portrait of Prince Johann Georg Christian von Lobkowitz, the work's provenance is tied to the Lobkowitz family lineage until its current location, with no major restorations or reattributions noted in available records.

Context

Painted during the Baroque to Rococo transitional period, the work reflects Auerbach's adaptation of these styles, blending the dramatic lighting of Baroque with the softer, more intimate approach of Rococo portraiture.

Legacy

While not widely reproduced in broad art historical narratives, the portrait remains significant within the corpus of Auerbach's work and 18th-century Central European noble portraiture, offering insight into the era's aristocratic culture and artistic trends.

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…