Artwork
Adolph Menzel
Adolph Menzel is a charcoal drawing by the Impressionist artist Karl Stauffer-Bern. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. In 1885, Swiss artist Karl Stauffer‑Bern produced a portrait of his contemporary, the German painter Adolph von Menzel.
About this work
Overview
Executed on tan wove paper, the work combines charcoal, graphite, and touches of yellow pastel, employing stumping and scraped corrections to refine the image.
In 1885, Swiss artist Karl Stauffer‑Bern produced a portrait of his contemporary, the German painter Adolph von Menzel. Executed on tan wove paper, the work combines charcoal, graphite, and touches of yellow pastel, employing stumping and scraped corrections to refine the image. The paper bears an indentation indicating a transfer process, suggesting a meticulous approach to rendering the sitter’s likeness.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing presents Menzel with a solemn expression, his features rendered with a restrained realism that emphasizes the intellectual gravity of the artist. He is attired in period clothing, the folds and textures of his garments suggesting a formal, perhaps retrospective, portrayal. The seriousness of his gaze and the subdued palette convey respect for Menzel’s stature within the nineteenth‑century art world.
Technique & Style
Stauffer‑Bern’s handling of charcoal and graphite creates a dense, atmospheric underdrawing, while stumping softens transitions between light and shadow. Scraped corrections reveal a process of revision, allowing highlights to emerge where the surface was lifted. The selective use of yellow pastel adds a subtle accent, breaking the monochrome scheme and drawing attention to specific facial details.
History & Provenance
The portrait was completed in the mid‑1880s, a period when Stauffer‑Bern was establishing his reputation across Europe. Though the work remained in private collections for decades, it has been documented in exhibition catalogues focusing on portraiture of artists. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s own studio, where the indented paper indicates a transfer from a preparatory sketch to the final drawing.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Stauffer, known as Karl Stauffer-Bern (2 September 1857, Trubschachen – 24 January 1891, Florence) was a Swiss painter, etcher and sculptor.
