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Oil on canvas Germany, circa 1893 Franz Seraph von Lenbach (1836-1904) - German portrait painter Fine gilt stucco frame Dimensions: 73 x 55.5 cm Good condition Provenance: Kunsthaus Lempertz, Köln, November 25, 1983, Lot 2158; Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia Lenbach is best known for his portraits of Otto von Bismarck - whom he painted on numerous occasions - and of the German emperors William I and II as well as other political and social contemporaries; his portraits of Otto von Bismarck fetch up to €34,000 on the auction market A first meeting between Lenbach and Otto von Bismarck occurred in 1874, followed by a long lasting bond between the painter and the chancellor. Over a period of two decades Lenbach regularly stayed with Bismarck and created a diverse range of expressive portraits - including some 80 paintings - depicting Bismarck not only as a politician but also, like here, as a private person, without a uniform and in an intimate atmosphere. Lenbach always put a focus on the face, in which he expressed the statesman's various states of mind. As the official 'Bismarck-painter' Lenbach finally established himself as a sought-after portraitist of the upper classes. Bismarck too benefited from this alliance for these portraits still illustrate history books and continue to shape his public image. The painting is in good condition consistent with age. There are restorations backed with patches of canvas to the right half of the painting. There are retouchings primarily to the background and the clothes as well as some to the face. The frame shows wear with a chip. The framed work measures 87.5 x 69 cm, the stretcher frame measures 73 x 55.5 cm. Franz Seraph von Lenbach (1836-1904) Franz von Lenbach was born in the Bavarian town of Schrobenhausen. From 1852 he studied at the Königlich Bayrische Polytechnische Schule in Augsburg, from 1854 at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. At the beginning of his career Lenbach mainly painted subjects from history and literature before he specialized very successfully in the genre of portrait painting. He created several portraits of Otto von Bismarck and of other famous characters of the late 19th century. In 1882 Franz von Lenbach was knighted. His works can be found at the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, the Schackgalerie, the museum in his home town Schrobenhasen and at the Lenbachhaus in Munich. Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.