(Wiesbaden 1831–1914 Hohwald, Vosges)
The Passage of the Bride, signed, dated and inscribed A. Dieffenbach 1857 Ddf, oil on canvas, 81 x 94 cm, framed, (Rei)

Compare:
Friedrich von Boetticher, Malerwerke des 19. Jahrhunderts, Hofheim am Taunus 1979, vol. I, 1, p. 234, no. 1.

Anton Dieffenbach’s œuvre is characterised above all else by the representation of children, whose colouring and execution place them in the tradition of the Düsseldorf school of painting. The scenes often show children in homely surroundings or at play. The present work was acquired by the king of Württemberg and a copy of the painting was sold in the USA.
The three figures depicted in the foreground, who in their bright colouring and detailed rendering clearly stand out against the almost diffusely executed background, can be viewed as a representation of age. On the left is a woman sitting in a chair, who seems to be giving the young bride advice, and holding a book ready for her as a present. Next to the bride is a young girl, who stands waiting with a bouquet of flowers. The young woman seems to be still uncertain of what to expect of her impending new phase of life and looks to the older woman with an almost sentimental facial expression.
Dieffenbach’s narrative strength enables his images to have such an appealing effect on the viewer. As a calm observer, he is able to render daily scenes without sentimentality.