Lot 6841

Description

Watercolour on paper over wood, monogrammed "W.K." at the bottom right. Impressively painted scene of the military display held jointly by Prussia and Russia at Kalisz in the Congress of Poland. In the centre on horseback, the military leaders Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (later King and Kaiser Wilhelm I), behind them the Russian troops in a march column with drummers in front and the Prussian troops in parade formation. Polish civil population cheering in the foreground. Under glass in a Prussian frame with gilding over gesso and red chalk, a plaque with the painter's name and dates of birth and death on the lower edge. Size of the painting 38.5 x 51 cm, size of the frame 48 x 60.5 cm. The label of a Düsseldorf art dealer on the back, along with an old (auction?) text giving the provenance (tr.) "Collection: A.v. Baviez". The Kalisch Review of 1835 was a public display of the solidarity between Prussia and Russia as well as a demonstration of power by the two military players at the place where they had concluded the alliance against Napoleon 22 years previously. Over 60,000 soldiers took part, along with 7,000 horses and 136 cannons. Wilhelm von Kobell was trained by his father, landscape painter Ferdinand Kobell, and studied at the Mannheim Drawing Academy. He was appointed court painter to Charles Theodore, Prince Elector of Bavaria, in 1792, served as professor at the Munich Academy from 1814 to 1826 and was elevated to the nobility in 1817.

Condition: II + Questions about the lot?