The ramparts of Luxemburg, with the Triererbergstrasse in the foreground and the Altzette Bridge to the left

Details

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Frankfurt 1749-1832 Weimar)
The ramparts of Luxemburg, with the Triererbergstrasse in the foreground and the Altzette Bridge to the left
with inscription 'Goethe.' on the mount
black chalk, pen and grey ink, brown wash on light brown paper, on an early 19th Century mount
7 5/8 x 13 in. (195 x 332 mm.)

Provenance

Christine Vulpius (1765-1816), the artist's wife, bu descent to
Helene Vulpius (died 1907), Weimar, to
Sanitätsrat Marie Vulpius, by whom presented in 1907 to
Sanitätsrat E. Ruickoldt, and then by descent.

Literature

T. Kellen, 'Goethe in Luxemburg', Reclams Universum, 42, 29 July 1926, p. 1152.
N. Hein, 'Goethes Zeichnungen von Luxemburg', Academia, Revue de l'association catholique des étudiants Luxembourgeois, May 1932, p. 30, illustrated p. 27.
N. Hein, 'Goethe in Luxemburg', Goethe, Neue Folge des Jahrbuchs der Goethe-Gesellschaft, IV, 1941, p. 94, illustrated p. 24.
N. Hein, 1792 - Goethe in Luxemburg, Luxemburg, 1961, p. 158, illustrated p. 160.
G. Femmel, Corpus de Goethezeichnungen, Leipzig, 1971, VIb, no. 194.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Dr Margarete Oppel of the Goethe Nationalmuseum Stiftung Weimarer Klassik has kindly confirmed that this drawing is by Goethe, on the basis of a photograph.
A preliminary study of the ramparts of Luxemburg, which must have been drawn at the same time as the present view, is in the Goethe Institute at Weimar (G. Femmel, op. cit., IVa, no. 260). Goethe recorded his thoughts on capturing the view in his journal entries for 16 and 19 October 1792, giving an approximate date for the present drawing.
This drawing remained in Christine Goethe's family, perhaps through her brother Christian August Vulpius (1762-1827). A note on the frame records that it was presented to Professor Dr Ruickholdt in 1907 by the relatives of Helene Vulpius, who was his patient, and it has since remained in his family.

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