(Salzburg 1840–1884 Vienna)
Sinking of the Nibelungen treasure into the Rhine, circa 1882/84, oil on canvas, 129 x 235.5 cm, framed, (Rei)

Provenance:
H. O. Miethke, Vienna, 26 March 1885, lot 56;
Acquired at the above by Baron Louis von Boschan;
Auktionshaus Albert Kende, Vienna, 13-15 April 1937, lot 379;
Acquired at the above by Dr Bruno Jellinek, Vienna;
Confiscated by the Gestapo from the collection of Dr Bruno Jellinek, 8 January 1941;
Acquired by Dr Hans Posse, director of the Sonderauftrag Linz, for the Linz Collection, 6 October 1941;
Restituted to the heirs of Dr Bruno Jellinek, 15 October 1948;
Banned from export by the Landeskonservator, Salzburg, 17 January 1949;
Assigned on loan to the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna, 16 December 1949;
Returned to the heirs of Dr Bruno Jellinek, 28 January 2014.

Exhibited:
Hans Makart und der Historismus in Budapest, Prague und Wien, exhibition at Schloß Halbthurn, 3.5.-26.10.1986, Vienna 1986.
Makart - Maler der Sinne, Belvedere Vienna, 9.6.–9.10.2011 p. 203, ill. plate 79.

Catalogued in:
Emil Pirchan, Hans Makart. Leben, Werk und Zeit, Vienna, 1942.
Emil Pirchan, Hans Makart. Leben, Werk und Zeit, 2nd edition, Vienna 1954.
Gerbert Frodl, Hans Makart, Monographie und Werkverzeichnis, Salzburg 1974, CR no. 424.
Thomas Zaunschirm, ”Der Sieg des Lichts” Bemerkungen zu Makarts Kolorit, in: Alte und moderne Kunst, Österreichische Zeitschrift für Kunst, Kunsthandwerk und Wohnkultur, Vol. 21, no.147, 1976, p. 1–7, ill. 2.
Gerbert Frodl, Hans Makart in der Österreichischen Galerie Belvedere Vienna, Salzburg 2000, p. 84.
Birgit Schwarz, Hitlers Museum, Die Fotoalben Gemäldegalerie Linz, Dokumente zum “Führermuseum”, Vienna 2004, Vol. XVI/37a, p. 320.
Gerbert Frodl, Hans Makart, Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde, published by Bibliothek der Provinz, Vienna 2013, p. 290, CR no. 496.

We are grateful to Dr Gerbert Frodl for his assistance in cataloguing this work.

The historical painter and celebrated Ringstraße artist Hans Makart, famed throughout Vienna for the opulent celebrations held in his studio and his designs for costumed parades, was one of most glittering personalities in Vienna’s 19th century artistic world. As a painter of historical and mythological scenes, and influenced by his time spent at the Munich Academy under the renowned historical painter Karl von Piloty, Makart’s style attracted a wide public. His focus on historical themes and heroic epics mirrored the spirit of the times at academies across Europe. Hans Makart’s admiration for Richard Wagner’s music reached its zenith with the artist’s Ring of the Nibelung cycle, executed in 1883, shortly after Wagner’s death. Based on the opera of the same name, the most important events are depicted in a series of eight paintings.

As Dr Gerbert Frodl supposes, the present lot, The Sinking of The Nibelung treasure into the Rhine, may have been executed in connection with the cycle of works mentioned above. The octagonal, landscape format of the work suggest its origin as an architectural image designed for a ceiling section which, perhaps together with the cycle of paintings, was intended to be presented in a room created for this purpose. Makart believed in an indissoluble bond between art and life, and integrating his works into architecturally defined spaces enabled him to create a stage for his works. Colour was also a principle of composition for Makart, one that became increasingly important over the artist’s career. The clay tones in the lower half of the painting give way to light and airy colours in the upper part. The populous scene reflects the Makartian approach to representing events as festivities on a stage. Although not displaying great detail, the painting demonstrates Makart’s powerful execution in which he creates an imposing scene through his use of colour, light and shadow. (Compare: Gerbert Frodl, Hans Makart, Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde, published by Bibliothek der Provinz, Vienna 2013, p. 282)