Following the successes of the 2011 auction year, Dorotheum anticipates the new season's first international auction week in April 2012. Portraits of nobility will be at the heart of the auction of old master paintings on April 18th, which will also feature a work by Sofonisba Anguissola, who achieved a new world record price at a Dorotheum auction last year. Guercino, Orazio Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana, Angelika Kauffmann, as well as Jost de Momper and Jan Brueghel II are likewise well represented. The auction of 19th century paintings offers a true Waldmüller festival with a total of four paintings by this artist. International artists such as Nikolai Semenovich Samokish, Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Giovanni Boldini, Carlo Bossoli, or Oswald Achenbach, share the limelight with Austrian works by Josef Lauer, Marie Egner, Hans Makart, Friedrich Gauermann, and Friedrich von Amerling. The Dorotheum auction week is rounded off by a selection of fine furniture, sculpture, porcelain, silver, mantelpiece- and picture clocks, and, last but not least, jewellery.

Auction Week 17th - 19th April 2012:
19th century paintings, Tue 17th April 2012, 5:00 P.M.
Old Masters, Wed 18th April 2012, 5:00 + 6:30 P.M.
Works of Art (furniture, silver), Wed 18th April 2012, 2:00 + 3:00 P.M.
Works of Art (sculpture, glass, porcelain) Thu 19th April 2012, 2:00 + 3:00 P.M.
Jewellery, Thu 19th April 2012, 6:00 P.M.

Public Viewing:
from Sat 7th April 2012

Venue:
PALAIS DOROTHEUM, Vienna 1, Dorotheergasse 17

Press Office:
Doris Krumpl, Tel. + 43-1-515 60-406, doris.krumpl@dorotheum.at

Master paintresses
old master paintings, auction on 18th April 2012 

Portraits of nobility provide one of the focal points of the auction of old master paintings on 18th April 2012, where women will play a particularly prominent part, including several lady members of the 'old master' club. Among them, Sofonisba Anguissola, one of only a few recognised master paintresses - whose most recent record sale was achieved at Dorotheum auction last year -  takes pride of place with a Portrait of Giuliano II. Sforza-Cesarini with a page (€ 150.000 - 180.000). Guercino, likewise known for reaching record results at Dorotheum, is, on this occasion, represented by a Saint Mary Magdalene (€ 200.000 - 300.000), while Orazio Gentileschi contributes a Madonna and Child of rather profane appearance (€ 200.000 - 300.000). Almost modern in aspect and radiating a critical gravity, a Portrait of a pregnant woman was presumably painted as a self portrait by the female artist Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614). Yet another sitter depicted in a pregnant state by a proponent of the Nordic School is shown holding one protective hand against her belly and may represent Anne of Denmark (€ 60.000 - 80.000). Giuliano Bugiardini (1475-1554) is responsible for a quite modern looking Portrait of a Lady (€ 150.000 - 200.000). The auction also features a number of famous biblical and historical male figures, such as a newly discovered Portrait of Rudolf II by Martino Rota as well as Lorenzo Lippi's Triumph of David (€ 120.000 - 150.000).

This time, the highlights of German and Dutch painting likewise include several princesses. Johann Friedrich August Tischbein, known as the "Leipzig" Tischbein, in 1794, painted a Portrait of Princess Luise von Anhalt-Dessau (€ 20.000 - 30.000), while in 1805, Angelika Kauffmann created a soulful Portrait of Princess Franziska von Kaunitz-Rietberg (€ 50.000 - 70.000). The still life genre offers a convincing Still Life of fruit, vegetables, and game by Juan de Espinosa (€ 150.000 - 200.000).

Peasants rather than nobility populate a joint work by Jost de Momper and Jan Brueghel II, a Village Scene by the Well, coming from a private collection. The scene abounds with enough free-ranging pigs, chickens and ducks to make any nature- or animal lover more than happy (€ 350.000 - 400.000).

An entire palette of painters
19th century paintings, auction on 17th April 2012 

The auction of 19th century paintings on 17th April 2012, celebrates a true Waldmüller festival, demonstrating the mastery of this international star painter with a total of four important works. The brilliant composition of Sunday's Rest uses the interplay of light and shadow to such effect that it rivals the figures of the mother and her infant child (€ 300.000 - 400.000). Another painting shows a Grandmother with three Grandchildren in a room decorated with Waldmüller paintings, another a  Portrait of the Banker Walter, dating to 1834 (€ 250.000 - 350.000 and € 30.000 - 35.000). Four panel pictures, each 2,5 m tall, painted by Waldmüller in 1926, were originally intended as shop signs for the "Golden Lion" Pharmacy in Vienna. They depict Hippocrates, the founder of scientific medicine, Hygieia, goddess of health and patron deity of pharmacists, Flora, and Galen, physician and anatomist (€ 80.000 - 120.000). 

The auction features a particularly rare object in the form of an actual painter's palette, bringing together approximately 70 famous German, Austrian, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Polish painters from the second half of the 19th century, each represented by a typical signed portrait or design. Among the artists so represented are Andreas and Oswald Achenbach, Eugen von Blaas, Joseph von Brandt, Ladislaus Czachorski, Franz von Defregger, Eduard von Grützner, Cecil von Haanen, Hugo Kauffmann, Isidor Kaufmann, Friedrich August von Kaulbach, Alfred Wierusz Kowalski, Gabriel von Max, Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz, Henryk Siemiradzky, and many others (€ 20.000 -25.000). 

Grace and charm find lovely expression in the half-profile portrait of a  Girl with black Mantilla by Friedrich von Amerling (€ 80.000 - 120.000). Additional works by Austrian artist include Roses on the Forest floor by Josef Lauer (€ 40.000 - 50.000), a Outing near Fiume by Marie Egner (€ 18.000 - 25.000), an Allegory of Painting by Hans Makart (€ 30.000 - 40.000 ), and a Gauermann painting of 1836, depicting an Eagle and Dying Stag at the Lakeshore (€ 80.000 - 120.000). 

Italy presents its accustomed strong showing, e.g. with salon paintings by Vittorio Matteo Corcos (Seated Lady in elegant white dress, € 75.000 - 95.000), or through quintessentially Italian motifs: Giovanni Boldini allows us a temperamental View of a Venice Canal while Carlo Grubas shows the Serenissima in a tempestuous mood (€ 25.000 - 30.000). Constantinople puts in a prominent appearance in Alberto Pasini's By the Golden Horn (€ 45.000 - 65.000), Carlo Bossoli recorded a View of the Khan Palace on the Crimean Peninsula, while Fausto Zonaro gazes across the sea towards Nice (€ 25.000 - 35.000). Italy-fan Oswald Achenbach found himself entranced by the Dusk over the Gulf of Naples, in 1888 (€ 35.000 - 45.000).

Real eye-catchers
Works of Art,, auction on 18th and 19th April 2012 

A decoratively painted sedan chair is just one of the eye-catching objects at the furniture auction (€ 10.000 - 15.000). A Spanish cabinet is illustrated with scenes from Spanish history, namely Isabell of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, and Columbus' discovery of America (€ 25.000 - 40.000). The city of Dresden appears in a Viennese Biedermeier picture clock by C. L. Hofmeister (€ 20.000 - 25.000). 

From 1801 to 1807, Anton Ferdinand Schaller held the position of head painter at the Imperial Manufactory Vienna. Dating to 1802, a picture plate depicts the god Apollo standing in his quadriga  
(€ 10.000 - 15.000). A large Meissen teapot from the first half of the 19th century is literally covered with detailed, moulded floral decoration (€ 15.000 - 25.000).

Jewellery
auction on 19th April 2012

Among the highlights of the jewellery auction on 19th April will be a historical gold and silver brooch set with a total of 10 carats of diamonds and emeralds. It dates to circa 1880 and is valued at between 10.000 and 14.000 Euro. A bracelet from the first half of the 20th century weighs in at 17ct in diamonds and 18ct in emeralds (€ 20.000 - 25.000).