Frauenporträt

About this artwork

Literatur: Grabner, Sabine: Der Maler Josef Danhauser – Biedermeierzeit im Bild. Monografie und Werkverzeichnis, Wien, Köln, Weimar 2011 (Belvedere Werkverzeichnisse, 1), S. 146, 240, WV-Nr. 216

Art Historical Context

Josef Danhauser’s *Frauenporträt* (1836) offers a charming glimpse into the intimate world of Biedermeier portraiture. Painted in oil on canvas, this modest work measures just 27 by 22 centimeters, inviting viewers to appreciate its delicate details up close. Danhauser, one of the leading Austrian artists of his day, captured the quiet dignity of everyday subjects during the Biedermeier era, a period marked by political stability and a renewed focus on domestic life and personal character. Housed in Vienna’s Belvedere Collection, the painting reflects the refined taste of early nineteenth-century middle-class society. Its small scale suggests it may have been created as a keepsake or private commission rather than a grand public statement. The warm, direct gaze typical of Biedermeier portraits draws the viewer into a personal encounter, emphasizing sincerity over ostentation. Documented in Sabine Grabner’s comprehensive 2011 catalogue raisonné, *Frauenporträt* (WV 216) exemplifies Danhauser’s skill at conveying both likeness and inner presence within the restrained elegance of the Biedermeier style.