(Frankfurt am Main 1789–1872 Vienna)
Wanderer in the Salzkammergut, the Grundlsee Lake Dam with the River Traun, in the Background on the Left the Backenstein, signed, dated J. Alt 1838, oil on canvas, 38 x 47 cm, framed

We are grateful to Dr. Maria Luise Sternath, Dr. Maria Theresa Meran and Univ.-Doz. Dr. Werner Telesko for the scientific assistance.

Provenance:
Dorotheum Vienna, 10 Juni 1980, Lot 3;
Private Collection Vienna;
Acquired in 1988.

The dating of this lot to the year 1838 places it in the creative period of the so-called “Guckkastenbilder”, created by Jakob Alt together with his son Rudolf between 1833 and 1848 at the behest of Emperor Ferdinand I. These were large-format watercolours in which the most beautiful places and views of the Danube Monarchy were to be captured. Together, father and son created over 300 sheets, most of which are now in the collections of the Albertina and the Austrian National Library. For this project, they travelled extensively and recorded their impressions in sketches. These were later developed in their studio in Vienna. The view of the Grundlsee lake dam with the flowing river Traun shown here is certainly a reminder of such a journey. It is painted using oil on canvas - a medium in which Jakob Alt created only a few works - and captivates its viewers through its clarity and use of colour. Such quality is rare to find and is certainly one of the highlights of Jakob Alt’s work.