Anton Raphael Mengs and workshop, around 1750
Oil on canvas.
This representative portrait shows the Electress of Saxony (1724-1780) in a precious brocade decorated dress with a blue ermine cloak and red sheath. She wears the star of the Russian Order of St Catherine and the Austrian Order of the Star Cross.
The Elector Princess was the daughter of the Elector and later Emperor Karl Albrecht of Bavaria and from 1747 was the wife of the Elector Friedrich Christian of Saxony, whose portrait was painted by Mengs as a counterpart.
The first version from Mengs' workshop has been preserved in the Dresden State Art Collections. Another version of similar quality is described in the painter's estate in 1779, so there is reason to suspect that the portrait shown here may have come from the painter's estate.
Anton Raphael Mengs (Bohemia 1728 - 1779 Rome) was born as the son of the Saxon court painter lsmael Mengs and received early support from his parents. From 1741 to 1744 he stayed in Rome with his father to study antiquities. From 1745 to 1761 he was court painter to August Ill, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, and from 1761 to 1777 court painter to the Spanish King Charles III. Among his patrons were the Margravine Wilhelmine of Bayreuth, Tsarina Catherine ll and Cardinal Alessandro Albani.
Height 142,5, width 110,5 cm.
