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Lot Essay
George David Matthieu, whose family was originally from Sainte Menehould in France, came from a distinguished line of court artists. His father, David Matthieu, and his aunt, Anna Dorothea Thersbusch-Lisiewski, were active as court painters at Berlin, while his step-mother, Anna Rosina Lisiewski, worked for the court at Dresden. His uncle, Christian Friedrich Reinhold Lisiewski, was court painter at Dessau and became Matthieu's successor at Ludwigslust after the artist's early death.
Born in Berlin in 1737, Georg David trained in his father's studio before travelling to Italy and Sweden with his friend, the painter Philipp Hackert. In June 1764 he was appointed court painter to Friedrich der Fromme, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the uncle of the sitter in the present portrait, and went to live in the newly-built Ludwigslust Palace. Life at court followed strict rules based on the system established by Duke Friedrich William in 1704. The court hierarchy consisted of 24 ranks of which the court painter was 20th. Working for 250 Reichstalers a year, with free food and housing for his family, Matthieu had to start his career in meagre conditions, although he did receive a fixed price for every picture he delivered. On 3 October 1772 he married Elizabeth Sophia Helena Christiana Luders, a Dame d'Atours to the Princess of Mecklenburg. He died in 1776, aged thirty-nine. His success as a court portraitist was largely a result of his ability to capture the nobility of his sitters and set it in the newly fashionable rococo style. He is particularly known for his fine color schemes, elaborately detailed costumes and rich interiors.
The sitter in the present work is Prince Friedrich-Franz, aged around nine years old. He eventually succeeded his uncle as Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and established Heiligendamn as the first seaside resort along the German Baltic Sea coast. Matthieu executed a number of portraits of the Prince. Three such works are now in the collection of the Staatliches Museum at Schwerin: a double portrait with his sister, Sophie Friederike, dated 1764; a portrait of the Prince, dated 1765; and a portrait of the Prince with his Governor, von Usedom, dated 1767. The latter follows closely the pattern of the present portrait with the Prince depicted at his studies, with books and a map that shows the extent of the family's estates. The rich rocaille interior depicted in the painting was part of the new sumptuous decorative schemes at Ludwigslust, which were modelled on Versailles.
As was the practice in European courts, portraits were painted in numerous versions, to hang in the family's various houses, as well as being given as diplomatic gifts. The present picture descended directly within the Mecklenburg family and bears the collection stamp of Louis-Philippe, Comte de Paris (1838-94), whose mother was Princess Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (fig. 1). Portraits of other members of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin family and Old Master paintings from the collection were sold at Christie's, Dusseldorf on 24 March 1999.
Born in Berlin in 1737, Georg David trained in his father's studio before travelling to Italy and Sweden with his friend, the painter Philipp Hackert. In June 1764 he was appointed court painter to Friedrich der Fromme, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the uncle of the sitter in the present portrait, and went to live in the newly-built Ludwigslust Palace. Life at court followed strict rules based on the system established by Duke Friedrich William in 1704. The court hierarchy consisted of 24 ranks of which the court painter was 20th. Working for 250 Reichstalers a year, with free food and housing for his family, Matthieu had to start his career in meagre conditions, although he did receive a fixed price for every picture he delivered. On 3 October 1772 he married Elizabeth Sophia Helena Christiana Luders, a Dame d'Atours to the Princess of Mecklenburg. He died in 1776, aged thirty-nine. His success as a court portraitist was largely a result of his ability to capture the nobility of his sitters and set it in the newly fashionable rococo style. He is particularly known for his fine color schemes, elaborately detailed costumes and rich interiors.
The sitter in the present work is Prince Friedrich-Franz, aged around nine years old. He eventually succeeded his uncle as Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and established Heiligendamn as the first seaside resort along the German Baltic Sea coast. Matthieu executed a number of portraits of the Prince. Three such works are now in the collection of the Staatliches Museum at Schwerin: a double portrait with his sister, Sophie Friederike, dated 1764; a portrait of the Prince, dated 1765; and a portrait of the Prince with his Governor, von Usedom, dated 1767. The latter follows closely the pattern of the present portrait with the Prince depicted at his studies, with books and a map that shows the extent of the family's estates. The rich rocaille interior depicted in the painting was part of the new sumptuous decorative schemes at Ludwigslust, which were modelled on Versailles.
As was the practice in European courts, portraits were painted in numerous versions, to hang in the family's various houses, as well as being given as diplomatic gifts. The present picture descended directly within the Mecklenburg family and bears the collection stamp of Louis-Philippe, Comte de Paris (1838-94), whose mother was Princess Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (fig. 1). Portraits of other members of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin family and Old Master paintings from the collection were sold at Christie's, Dusseldorf on 24 March 1999.