Elias Gottlob Haussmann
Encyclopedia
Elias Gottlob Haussmann (1695, Gera
– 11 April 1774) was a German
painter
in the late Baroque
era. Haussmann served as court painter
at Dresden
, and from 1720 as the official portraitist
at Leipzig
. He is mostly known for his portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach
which was painted in 1746.
The Landgraf allowed him a study trip through Germany, where he met portraitist Francesco Carlo Rusca
at Lugano
. Haussmann also met the Dresden court painter Adam Manyoki
, who wrote favorably of him.
From 1720 Haussmann was the official portrait painter of the city of Leipzig, but left the city in 1722, probably because of differences with the Malerinnung of Leipzig. Haussman and the Malerinnung disagreed in 1729 and 1742 "because he wanted 'despite polite Ermahnens neither citizens, nor with the guild agreements'". . These disputes are also accepted as a reason that Manyoki revoked his recommendation.
In 1723, Haussmann was appointed court painter to the royal Polish and Saxon Elector. In 1725 he returned to Leipzig. In 1726 he took over the clientele of his predecessor, beginning with a portrait of J. H. Linke. In the 1760s, he and his school were replaced by Ernst Gottlob and Anton Graff
. Haussmann was also a long-time painter of the Protestant clergy.
Haussmann's early portraits, like Emperor Gottfried, display individual composition, technical careful execution, a high level of detail, and realistic emotional expressions. Many later portraits on the other hand, possess typical characteristics of serial images. Especially in the years after 1760, they show the same degree, and often depicted the same attitude. Often there are identical clothes in the same colors within a series of portraits of rather insignificant officials.
Georg Müller writes of an "Images factory ". On the other hand, copies were made to the detailed portraits with titles, career, and personal data added.
Haussmann's oil paintings and the larger number copies show a cross section of the leading layer of the bourgeoisie of Leipzig from the fields of politics, administration, judiciary, the church, business (especially trade and crafts), science and art. Examples include:
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
– 11 April 1774) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
in the late Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
era. Haussmann served as court painter
Court painter
A court painter was an artist who painted for the members of a royal or noble family, sometimes on a fixed salary and on an exclusive basis where the artist was not supposed to undertake other work. Especially in the late Middle Ages, they were often given the office of valet de chambre...
at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, and from 1720 as the official portraitist
Portrait painting
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...
at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. He is mostly known for his portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
which was painted in 1746.
Life
Haussmann was first pupil of his father, Elias Haußmann (1663-1733), who was the Prince of Hesse's court painter. Haussmann was in the royal Hessian service, as he was mentioned in a September 1717 letter of recommendation from Prince Ernst Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt as "Unsers court painter son".The Landgraf allowed him a study trip through Germany, where he met portraitist Francesco Carlo Rusca
Francesco Carlo Rusca
Francesco Carlo Rusca was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.Born in Lugano, he studied law but then tutored as a painter under Giacomo Amiconi. He traveled extensively to work in Turin, Switzerland, Berlin, and England. Died in Milan....
at Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
. Haussmann also met the Dresden court painter Adam Manyoki
Ádám Mányoki
Ádám Mányoki was one of the most significant Hungarian Baroque painters of the 18th century.He was a pupil of the great German painter, A. Scheitz. He initially worked as a court painter of Francis II Rákóczi the prince of Hungary and Transylvania...
, who wrote favorably of him.
From 1720 Haussmann was the official portrait painter of the city of Leipzig, but left the city in 1722, probably because of differences with the Malerinnung of Leipzig. Haussman and the Malerinnung disagreed in 1729 and 1742 "because he wanted 'despite polite Ermahnens neither citizens, nor with the guild agreements'". . These disputes are also accepted as a reason that Manyoki revoked his recommendation.
In 1723, Haussmann was appointed court painter to the royal Polish and Saxon Elector. In 1725 he returned to Leipzig. In 1726 he took over the clientele of his predecessor, beginning with a portrait of J. H. Linke. In the 1760s, he and his school were replaced by Ernst Gottlob and Anton Graff
Anton Graff
Anton Graff was an eminent Swiss portrait artist. Among his famous subjects were Friedrich Schiller, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Heinrich von Kleist, Frederick the Great, Johann Gottfried Herder and Christian Felix Weisse...
. Haussmann was also a long-time painter of the Protestant clergy.
Works
The City Historical Museum of Leipzig, where the Bach portrait hangs, also has several other oil paintings by Haussmann and a variety of his copperplate engravings. Most Haussmann paintings can easily be attributed — he regularly signed his works the back with his name and the date.Haussmann's early portraits, like Emperor Gottfried, display individual composition, technical careful execution, a high level of detail, and realistic emotional expressions. Many later portraits on the other hand, possess typical characteristics of serial images. Especially in the years after 1760, they show the same degree, and often depicted the same attitude. Often there are identical clothes in the same colors within a series of portraits of rather insignificant officials.
Georg Müller writes of an "Images factory ". On the other hand, copies were made to the detailed portraits with titles, career, and personal data added.
Haussmann's oil paintings and the larger number copies show a cross section of the leading layer of the bourgeoisie of Leipzig from the fields of politics, administration, judiciary, the church, business (especially trade and crafts), science and art. Examples include:
- Mayor Gottfried Wilhelm
- Baumeister Kaspar Richter
- Councilman and city judge Johann Jakob Mascov
- Pastor Gottlieb Gauditz
- Archdeacon Christian d. J. Weisius
- Trader Johann Zacharias
- Kramer champion Johann Heinrich left
- Lawyer Christian Gottfried Moerlin
- University professor August Friedrich Müller
- Composer Johann Sebastian Bach
- Gottfried Reiche
External links
- Altes Rathaus - Museum in Leipzig housing many of Haussmann's paintings, including the famous Bach portrait.