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Franz Ittenbach (German, 1813-1879) Portraits of Dr. Med. Franz Xavier von Soist and his wife, Margarete one 90 x 64 cm. (35 1/2 x 25 1/4 in. ), the other 91 x 66 cm. (36 x 26 in.) (2) image 1
Franz Ittenbach (German, 1813-1879) Portraits of Dr. Med. Franz Xavier von Soist and his wife, Margarete one 90 x 64 cm. (35 1/2 x 25 1/4 in. ), the other 91 x 66 cm. (36 x 26 in.) (2) image 2
Lot 74

Franz Ittenbach
(German, 1813-1879)
Portraits of Dr. Med. Franz Xavier von Soist and his wife, Margarete one 90 x 64 cm. (35 1/2 x 25 1/4 in. ), the other 91 x 66 cm. (36 x 26 in.) (2)

14 June 2007, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £10,800 inc. premium

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Franz Ittenbach (German, 1813-1879)

Portraits of Dr. Med. Franz Xavier von Soist and his wife, Margarete
a pair, one signed and dated 'F. Ittenbach..gem:1849' (lower right), inscribed on reverse 'Marg: von Soist.geb:/Finsterer in Ehrenbreitstein./geb: 1809.', the other signed and dated 'F. Ittenbach./1850.' (lower left), inscribed on reverse 'F Xav: von Soist/Dc Med; in Ehrenbreitstein/geb: 1794.'
oil on canvas
one 90 x 64 cm. (35 1/2 x 25 1/4 in. ), the other 91 x 66 cm. (36 x 26 in.) (2)

Footnotes

Franz Ittenbach initially studied under Franz Katz in Cologne in 1831, before entering the Dusseldorf Academy. After graduation he established himself as one of the leading artists in the city, specialising in religious works before he travelled to Italy with his tutor Wilhelm von Schadow. Time in Rome led to Iffenbach becoming closely associated with the Nazarenes and in particular Friedrich Overbeck.
On his return from Italy in 1842, he settled in Munich where he remained for the next seven years, until moving back to Dusseldorf where he worked until his death in 1879.

A deeply religious man, Ittenbach worked mainly on frescoes and paintings for churches and chapels. He was also an exceptional portrait painter and counted Countess Elisabeth Spee and Count Metternich among his clients.

Dr Franz von Soist was painted in 1850 when the sitter would have been 56. He is shown facing the viewer with his specimen jars and books behind him. His wife Margarete, (née Finsterer) is also looking directly at the viewer wearing a fur trimmed robe. There is a beautiful small vase of flowers to her right which sits on the table next to her, and with what is possibly the centre piece of a German 16th century altarpiece behind her.

Additional information

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