Die fünf Sinne: Der Geruch

About this artwork

Allgemeiner Katalogtext siehe Frodl, Makart, 2013, Kat. Nr. 392/1–5.

Art Historical Context

Hans Makart’s “ fünf Sinne: Der Geruch” forms part of a five-panel series created between 1872 and 1879 that personifies the human senses As one of Vienna’s celebrated painters of the nineteenth century, Makart in grand, alleg compositions that blended historical themes with sensual, decorative. This particular canvas, standing over three meters tall yet only seventy centimeters wide, was conceived as a vertical decorative element, likely intended to complement an architectural interior or to be viewed alongside its companion works. Painted in oil on canvas, the work exemplifies the rich color and handling typical of Makart’s technique, allowing for luminous effects and intricate detail within a narrow format. Now housed in the Belvedere Collection, the series reflects the nineteenth-century fascination with the five as both philosophical concepts and opportunities for lavish visual storytelling. Visitors can appreciate how the elongated proportions guide the eye upward, inviting contemplation of smell as a refined, almost aristocratic experience within Makart’s opulent vision.

About the Artist

Hans Makart · 1840–1884

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