Fine mezzotint portrait of Alexander von Humboldt by Paul Sigmund Habelmann after the painting by Emma Gaggiotti Richards. [Titled:] "Alexander von Humboldt. Das Original Gemälde befindet sich im Besitz Sr. Königl. Hoheit des Prinzes von Preussen. Verlag und Eigenthum von Alexander Duncker, Hofbuchhandler Sr: Majestät des Königs von Preussen."

HUMBOLDT, Alexander von - GAGGIOTTI RICHARDS, Emma.

Edité par Berlin: printed by E. Pfeiffer for Alexander Duncker, 1854

A propos de cet article

Rare and attractive half-length portrait of the Prussian polymath Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), the first person to conceive of the planetary ecosystem as a connected whole and to develop the idea of human-induced climate change. Today he is remembered as the "father of the environmental movement" (Wulf, p. 58). This is the finest and most impressive version from the oil by Emma Gaggiotti Richards. The original of Gaggiotti's oval head-and-shoulders portrait is at the Archiv der Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. It shows the white-haired 85-year old Humboldt seated, facing right, wearing what we believe to be the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle and another decoration at his throat. "Emma Gaggiotti [1825-1912] was born in Rome but spent most of her youth in Ancona, where she was a pupil of Nicola Consorti. While there she met an Englishman, Alfred Bate Richards, and, upon their marriage, moved to London where her talent was quickly recognized by a number of influential patrons. In 1854 she returned to Italy, where she continued to paint landscapes and mythological scenes. In 1850, Queen Victoria received the first of a series of four allegorical paintings by Richards (depicting Religion and the Three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity), commissioned by Prince Albert as gifts" (Royal Collection Trust). Thieme-Becker notes that in 1854 she was recommended to Humboldt by the Prussian ambassador in London, the cultured Christian Charles von Bunsen. The engraver Paul Sigmund Habelmann (1823-1890) studied at the Berlin Academy under Ludwig Buchhorn and Eduard Mandel; his work featured in Academy exhibitions virtually uninterruptedly from 1842 to 1886. Gaggiotti Richards, "resided for some years in Berlin during the closing period of Humboldt's life, and attracted the notice among others of the great philosopher by her talents, beauty, and amiability. Ht sat to her for a spirited likeness in oils, which ranks as one of the best portraits that have been taken of him" (Löwenberg, Avé-Lallement and Dove, Life of Alexander von Humboldt, II, p. 402). For some years sitter and artist maintained a warm correspondence. Gaggiotti Richards: Thieme-Becker XIII p. 62. Andrea Wulf, The Invention of Nature, 2015. Mezzotint by Habelmann after Emma Gaggiotti Richards (sheet size 442 x 365 mm, image size 334 x 270 mm). Marginal tear at right hand margin, small portion of upper left corner torn away; a little surface wear and light foxing to lower panel; a very good example. Presented in a black gesso frame with conservation acrylic glazing.

N° de réf. du vendeur 131927

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Fine mezzotint portrait of Alexander von Humboldt by Paul Sigmund Habelmann after the painting by Emma Gaggiotti Richards. [Titled:] "Alexander von Humboldt. Das Original Gemälde befindet sich im Besitz Sr. Königl. Hoheit des Prinzes von Preussen. Verlag und Eigenthum von Alexander Duncker, Hofbuchhandler Sr: Majestät des Königs von Preussen."
• Éditeur: Berlin: printed by E. Pfeiffer for Alexander Duncker, 1854