Gustav Wertheimer (1847–1902) was an Austrian painter, active mainly in Paris. He produced

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...

portraits A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better re ...

, and

genre scenes Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, work, and street scenes. Such representations (also called genre works, ...

Life

Gustav Wertheimer was born in Vienna on 28 January 1847. He trained under

Carl Mayer Carl Mayer (20 November 1894 – 1 July 1944) was an Austrians, Austrian screenwriter. Mayer wrote or co-wrote the screenplays to ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), ''The Haunted Castle (1921 film), The Haunted Castle'' (1921), ''Der Letz ...

and

Joseph von Führich Joseph von Führich (fully Josef Ritter von Führich) (9 February 1800 – 13 March 1876) was an Austrian painter, one of the Nazarene movement, Nazarenes. He painted religious pictures almost exclusively. Führich acquired his greatest fame as ...

at the

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna () is a public art school in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1688 as a private academy, it is now a public university. The academy is also known for twice rejecting admission to a young Adolf Hitler in 1907 and 1908. ...

from 1863 to 1867, and under

Wilhelm von Dietz Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Wilhe ...

at the

Academy of Fine Arts, Munich The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (, also known as Munich Academy) is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. In the second half of the 19th centur ...

. He exhibited the large historical painting ''Nero während des Brandes in Rom'' ('Nero during the Fire in Rome') at the

1873 Vienna World's Fair The 1873 Vienna World's Fair () was the large world exposition that was held from 1 May to 31 October 1873 in the Austria-Hungarian capital Vienna. Its motto was "Culture and Education" (). History As well as being a chance to showcase Austro- ...

.Schneider (2021)
"Wertheimer, Gustav"
''AKL''. De Gruyter. Retrieved 27 April 2022. In 1882 he moved to Paris, where he enjoyed his greatest success. ''Le repas des lions chez Pezon'' ('Lions Eating at Pezon'), exhibited in the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

of 1886, received particular attention.Oliver, ed. (2011)
"Wertheimer, Gustav"
''Benezit''. Oxford UP. Retrieved 27 April 2022. According to the ''Benezit Dictionary of Artists'', "His compositions take on a fantastic character, seeming to belong to the realm of dreams, and are tainted with anguish and anxiety." Wertheimer was awarded medals at exhibitions in Amsterdam, London, New Orleans and Paris, and received honourable mentions at the Expositions Universelle of

1889 Events January * January 1 ** The total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 is seen over parts of California and Nevada. ** Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka experiences a vision, leading to the start of the Ghost Dance movement in the Dakotas ...

and

1900 As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15 ...

. He also participated in the last Salon de la Rose-Croix in 1897. Shortly after 1900, at the end of his life, the patrons abandoned him. He died of consumption in the Hôpital Larisboisière on 24 August 1902, destitute and alone. However, his obituary in the Viennese magazine '' Sport & Salon'' was flattering:

In Vienna, one could only see relatively few works by the master in art exhibitions, since Wertheimer, if his pictures were not already sold off the easel, always sold them at the first exhibition in the Paris Salon."Bildende Künste"
''Sport & Salon.'' 6 September 1902. p. 21.

Selected works

* ''Nero während des Brandes in Rom'' ('Nero during the Fire in Rome'), 1873. * ''Schiffbruch der Agrippina'' ('Shipwreck of Agrippina'), also called ''Tod der Agrippina'' ('Death of Agrippina'), 1874. * ''Le repas des lions chez Pezon'' ('Lions Eating at Pezon'), 1886.

Gallery

File:Gustav Wertheimer - Der Schiffbruch der Agrippina.jpg, ''The Shipwreck of Agrippina'' (1874) File:Gustav Wertheimer - Theresia Fritz im Alter von etwa 18 Jahren - 6070 - Österreichische Galerie Belvedere.jpg, ''Theresia Fritz'' (1879) File:Gustav Wertheimer - The Kiss of the Siren - 76.27 - Indianapolis Museum of Art.jpg, ''The Kiss of the Siren'' (1882) File:Gustav Wertheimer - Couple de lions.jpg, ''Couple of Lions'' (1901) File:Gustav Wertheimer - Die Fechtstunde der Damen.jpg, ''The Women's Fencing Lesson'' File:Gustave-wertheimer-nu-à-la-peau-dours.jpg, ''Bear-skin Nude''

Notes

References

Primary sources

"Nero auf der Wiener Weltausstellung"
'' Wiener Sonn- und Montags-Zeitung''. 10 March 1873. pp. 1–2.
"Theater, Kunst und Literatur"
''Deutsche Zeitung.'' 8 March 1873. pp. 8–12.
"Theater- und Kunstnachrichten"
''

Neue Freie Presse ''Neue Freie Presse'' ("New Free Press") was a Viennese newspaper founded by Adolf Werthner together with the journalists Max Friedländer and Michael Etienne on 1 September 1864 after the staff had split from the newspaper ''Die Presse''. It ...

.'' 14 July 1881. p. 8.
"Kunst-Nachrichten"
''Österreichische Kunst-Chronik''. Vol. VII, No. 30. 28 July 1883. p. 403.
"Theater und Kunst"
''Sport & Salon.'' 12 October 1901. p. 23.
"Bildende Künste"
''Sport & Salon.'' 6 September 1902. p. 21.

Secondary sources

* Oliver, Valerie Cassel, ed. (2011)
"Wertheimer, Gustav"
In ''

Benezit Dictionary of Artists The ''Benezit Dictionary of Artists'' (in French, ''Bénézit: Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs'') is an extensive publication of bibliographical information on painters, sculptors, designers and engravers create ...

''. Oxford University Press. Oxford Art Online. * Schneider, Ulrich (2021)
"Wertheimer, Gustav"
In Beyer, Andreas; Savoy, Bénédicte; and Tegethoff, Wolf (eds.). ''Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon''. De Gruyter. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wertheimer, Gustav 1847 births 1902 deaths 19th-century Austrian painters Painters from Vienna Tuberculosis deaths in France 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis