ANTON KAUFFMAN, UN PICTOR VIENEZ ÎN ŢĂRILE ROMÂNE (1840-1845)
ANTON KAUFFMAN, A VIENNESE PAINTER IN THE ROMANIAN COUNTRIES (1840-1845)

Summary/Abstract: Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, around 1839, Anton Kauffman is known as a miniature painter, mainly between 1835 and 1850. The present study is the first of the kind dedicated exclusively to Anton Kauffman. The painter arrived in the Romanian Principalities, where he painted various paintings between 1840 and 1845. In Bucharest, he was the first painting teacher of Elena Ghica (Dora d’Istria), before the Viennese Felice Schiavoni. In the Wallachian capital, he painted the portrait of Prince Gheorghe Bibescu (1843), transmitted as lithography, embroidery and easel painting. In Moldavia, Kauffman painted the portraits of Metropolitan Veniamin Costache, before January 1842. He must have equally painted in Iasi “The Portrait of a Minister”, which resembles a lot “The Portrait of Iorgu Ghica”, painted by N. Livaditti, in 1845. In the Moldavian capital, Kauffman made especially drawings (portraits, “genre” scenes), printed by Gheorghe Asachi at “Albina” Institute. Transposing the drawing for the lithograph was done by the French J. Rey (1845). The image of Neamt fortress, attributed to Kauffman, resembles very well to the drawing made by M. Bouquet (1840 in Album Moldo-valaque (1848). Even though the artist was known as a miniature painter, the works preserved in the Romanian collections are more diversified (easel portraits, miniatures representing genre scenes, lithographs) revealing a complete artist whose activity deserves more interest from art historians.

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