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On the occasion of the birthday of Friedrich Wilhelm III (3 August 1824) a young, but already popular Berlin artist Franz Krueger made 18 chalk drawings with portraits of the King and members of the royal family. All these drawings were lithographed a short time afterwards, some of them by Krueger himself. Just thanks to those lithographs this portrait cycle was familiar to us. The drawings themselves, according to Krueger experts, were hardly ever seen by anybody since then, and it was unknown if they still currently existed at all (see our image with a clip from Max Osborn's "Franz Krueger", Berlin 1997, p. 53).

And now let us move into October 2005, into the castle Marienburg of the King of Hannover near Hildesheim at Hannover. Here on 5th - 15th October the "Century" auction of Sotheby's took place, the greatest one in the history of this auction house - more than 20,000 pieces from the collection of the Royal House of Hannover were brought to the hammer: paintings, graphics, furniture, arms, silver, porcelain, etc. etc.

A few lots from graphics section, basically (so in catalogue) each consisting of 10-15 printed portraits of European royalties, came to our attention. In two of those lots we discovered instead of two prints two original black and white chalk drawings. One lot (catalogue No. 5025A, mentioned as "Eleven Portrait Prints"), turned out to be a collection of drawings in the same technique (some additionally heightened with white gouache) and by the same hand.

Whatever it was - a mistake of competent expert or an intention - one can only guess. But the finale was glorious: in a breathtaking struggle with only one (!!) incognito telephone bidder we have won all of those sensational 13 Krueger's drawings, for the price 20 times more than the start price!

Why, you would ask, Krueger's drawings? Please read attentively comments to other drawing by the same artist in our possession. 

"Portrait of Berlin Actress Auguste Stich (1795-1865)".

The young woman on the portrait is erroneously named "Mrs. Lind". The person meant is obviously the famous Swedish sopranist Mrs. Jenny Lind (1820-1887), called "Swedish Nightingale". For the first time she sang in Berlin in 1844, aged 24 (see last additional image). Our sitter could, of course, be 24 years old, but her hairstyle and dress indicate rather at 1820s, not 1840s. Among Krueger's works we have discovered a portrait (see 1st additional image), which definitely depicts our lady sitter, only somewhat older. Her name is Auguste Stich, born Duehring.

She was one of the most popular actresses in Berlin, debuted in 1812, in 1817 married an actor named Stich, and after the latter's death in 1823 caused by knife attack of a fan, started a relationship with a son of banker Crelinger in Berlin. Her favorite roles during her best time were highly tragic characters, such as Sappho, Phaedra, Countess Orsina, Countess Terzky, Maria Stuart, Adelheid in "Goetz von Berlichingen", Lady Macbeth and - first of all - Iphigenia.

After the celebration of her 50th anniversary on the Berlin court stage in 1862 Auguste Stich retired and died on 11 April 1865. Her daughters Berta and Klara were as well successful actresses in Berlin.

Along with our portrait and the second, above-mentioned portrait, Krueger immortalized the beautiful Auguste on his perhaps most famous painting - a large-size "Prussian Parade", painted in 1839 (see 2nd and 3d additional images). Auguste Stich ist depicted there standing between her both daughters (3d add.image).

Provenance: "Familien Fideicommiss Seiner Majestaet des hochseligen Koenigs Ernst August von Hannover. 1836.1843." (stamp EAFC on verso); Castle Herrenhausen of the King of Hannover (see inventory label obverse); Sotheby's Auction in Castle Marienburg near Hildesheim "Works of Art from the Royal House of Hanover", 5 - 15 October 2005, Lot 5025A.

Franz Krueger (1797 Grossbadegast - 1857 Berlin), called "Horse-Krueger", studied at the Berlin Academy for a short time from 1812 and continued his education as an autodidact. He extensively studied thoroughbred horses at the royal stables. Prince August of Prussia and Count Neidhardt of Gneisenau helped him to acquire high patrons, who let portray themselves on horseback and with retinue. Krueger soon rose to the most noted militarian and portrait painter of Berlin. He painted portraits of the members of the Prussian royal family, of various court persons, of Prussian high society. In 1825 Friedrich Wilhelm III granted him the title of "Royal Professor". At the same time he became a full member of the Academy of Arts. Krueger's fame led him to numerous professional trips. In 1839-1840 he worked at the court of King of Hannover, in 1854 at the court of Grand Duke of Mecklenburg. The artist repeatedly travelled to St.Petersburg to paint on commission of Tsar Nikolai I (in 1836, 1845, 1847, 1850/51). From 1840 on he was the favourite painter of the next Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV and his retinue.

Condition: drawing in good condition; mount somewhat stained

Creation Year: ca. 1824

Measurements: UNFRAMED: 21,8x18,2cm/8,6x7,2in FRAMED: 32,9x28,0cm/13,0x11,0in

Style: Portrait Miniatures

Technique: black and white chalk, heightened with white gouache on brown-grounded paper, laid on original mount

Inscription:  verso old erroneous title: Mrs. Lind