Portrait of the Baroness of Bernus, 1838

About the Work

Philipp Veit apprenticed in Rome to the German Romantics of the so-called Lukasbund, and he devoted himself to history painting for a long time. He, the then acting director of the Städelsche Kunstinstitut, perfected his craftsmanship with this portrait of Marie von Bernus, a Frankfurt noblewoman, whom he depicted with splendid clothes. At the age of 17, the young lady from Frankfurt’s high society had married the senator, merchant and art collector Franz von Bernus. Her family ran an important salon in Frankfurt, a meeting place for numerous intellectuals, musicians and painters.