Portret van Johan Friedrich Röhr

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

"Portret van Johan Friedrichhr" is a delicate steel engraving by the German artist Karl Barth, created between 1828 and1853. Measuring just 149 mm high by 100 mm wide, intimate portrait captures the likeness of Johan Friedrich Röhr, a notable19th-century composer and of German-Danish origin. Barth, known for his precise reproductive engravings, renders Röhr with fine detail, highlighting the subject's dignified expression and period attire—hallmarks of Romantic-era portraiture that celebrated cultural figures. Steel engraving, a innovative medium of the early 19th century, marked a shift from traditional copper plates. Its harder steel allowed for sharper lines, intricate textures like hair and fabric folds, and larger print runs, making high-quality portraits accessible to a broader audience. This technique democratized art, turning personal likenesses into collectible prints that adorned homes and libraries across Europe. On the verso, a stamped collector's mark (Lugt 2228) reveals its provenance from the esteemed Frederik Müller collection, a testament to its enduring value among connoisseurs. This small yet masterful work invites visitors to appreciate how engraving preserved the legacies of musicians like Röhr, bridging art and cultural history in the Biedermeier age.

About the Artist

Karl Barth · 1787–1853

Karl Barth (also known as Carl Barth or Johann Carl Barth, 1787–1853) was a versatile German artist who worked as a copperplate engraver, draughtsman, painter, illustrator, and portrait engraver during the late eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries. Born in Eisfeld in the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen and dying in Kassel, Barth exemplified the multi-talented artist-craftsman of the Roman...