Franz Xavier Winterhalter was born in the small
village of Mensenschwad in Germany. He studied painting at the academy
of Monaco. In 1835, after he painted portrait of Grand Duke Leopold of
Baden, Winterhalter was appointed his court painter. With that portrait
his international career was launched. The royal families of England, France,
and Belgium all commissioned their portraits from him. Under Napoleon III,
Winterhalter became the chief portrait-painter of the imperial family and
court of France. Among his many regal sitters was also Queen Victoria.
Winterhalter first visited England in 1842, and returned several times
to paint Victoria, Albert and their growing family, he did at least 120
works for them. Winterhalter also painted a few portraits of the aristocracy
in England, mostly members of court circles. Russian aristocratic visitors
to Paris also liked to have their portraits executed by the famous master.
Although Winterhalter never received high praise for his work from serious
critics, his royal patrons highly appreciated his ability “to create the
image his sitters wished or needed to project to their subjects.” He died
in Frankfurt in 1873.
Notes
Sofia Petrovna Naryshkina,
née Ushakova, was married to Konstantin Pavlovich Naryshkin. She
had 3 sons and a daughter.
See: Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Portrait
of Sofia Naryshkina.
Napoleon III, Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
(1808-1873) emperor of France, born in Paris, the third son of Louis Bonaparte,
king of Holland, and nephew of Napoleon I. On the death of the Duke of
Reichstadt, only son of Napoleon I, in 1832, he became the head of the
Napoleonic dynasty. After several unsuccessful attempts on the throne of
France, he was elected the President of France in September 1848. In 1852
he was proclaimed the Emperor of France. In 1853 he married Eugénie
de Montijo (1826-1920 ), Spanish countess, known for her remarkable
beauty. He lost his throne after the France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian
war 1870-71. He spent the rest of his life in exile in England.
See: Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Emperor
Napoleon III.
