Lot Essay
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Frankfurt 1749 - 1832 Weimar), was doubtlessly the most celebrated German poet of all time.
After highly successful sojourns in Berlin and Darmstadt, the Silesian miniaturist Raabe arrived in Dresden in 1810. In the Dresden Pictures Gallery he was presented by his patron, the French Ambassador Bourgoing, to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. By October 1810 Raabe left for Weimar where he soon became a welcome guest at Goethe's home and eventually moved into Goethe's house in January 1811. At that time, Raabe painted the first portrait of Goethe, his wife Christiane and their son August von Goethe (all Kippenberg Collection). A second portrait of the poet was painted in April 1811 (Goethe-Nationalmuseum, Weimar). After the execution of a black chalk drawing of Goethe on 11 May 1811, Raabe set out for Frankfurt. Whereas the exact sittings for the three portraits of Goethe and those of his family are recorded in the poet's diary, the precise date of the present miniature is unknown but its date of 1811 strongly suggests a period between January and May 1811. Raabe and Goethe maintained their friendship and Raabe painted an oil portrait of the poet in 1814.
This lot is accompanied by a series of letters, documents and articles relating to both the miniature and the artist.
After highly successful sojourns in Berlin and Darmstadt, the Silesian miniaturist Raabe arrived in Dresden in 1810. In the Dresden Pictures Gallery he was presented by his patron, the French Ambassador Bourgoing, to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. By October 1810 Raabe left for Weimar where he soon became a welcome guest at Goethe's home and eventually moved into Goethe's house in January 1811. At that time, Raabe painted the first portrait of Goethe, his wife Christiane and their son August von Goethe (all Kippenberg Collection). A second portrait of the poet was painted in April 1811 (Goethe-Nationalmuseum, Weimar). After the execution of a black chalk drawing of Goethe on 11 May 1811, Raabe set out for Frankfurt. Whereas the exact sittings for the three portraits of Goethe and those of his family are recorded in the poet's diary, the precise date of the present miniature is unknown but its date of 1811 strongly suggests a period between January and May 1811. Raabe and Goethe maintained their friendship and Raabe painted an oil portrait of the poet in 1814.
This lot is accompanied by a series of letters, documents and articles relating to both the miniature and the artist.