(Radkersburg 1823–1907 Graz) A primeval forest in Ceylon and a forest with palm trees, a pair of engravings, inscribed Königsbrun fecit, Abbema sculpsit in the plate, each appr. 53 x 46 cm, browned, mounted, framed, (2), (Sch)

Hermann Reichsfreiherr von Königsbrunn studied law in Graz and at the Theresian Academy in Vienna. On the recommendation of his art teacher Meringer and against the intention of his relatives he enjoyed private drawing lessons in the studio of Josef Kuwasseg besides his law studies. He went to Munich in 1848 where he dedicated himself to art. There he studied with Leopold Rottmann and copied landscapes of Eduard Schleich. In late 1852 he travelled in the company of Ritter von Friedau and of the zoologist L. K. Schmarda to Ceylon, where he stayed for ten months. He was mainly based in Galle and Kandy and assembled some comprehensive sketchbook material with natural scientific motifs. After his return to Graz he intended to elaborate them for a travel publication, which, however, was never published. Kuwasseg executed watercolours of the splendid vegetation after the sketches by Königsbrunn,. The latter went on to Dresden. On the recommendation and support by Friedau Königsbrunn improved his education in oil painting in Dresden and subsequently executed large oil painings after his vegetation sketches for his patron. Two of them were exhibited in the Vienna Kunstverein in November 1860 (The atrium of an Indian temple) and in September 1863 (Tank in Northern Ceylon). Many of Königbrunn's paintings with Indian motifs are kept In the southern Styrian castle Friedau today. The present prints were engraved by W. v. Abbema and are the two only ones after pictures of Königbrunn's journey to India.