Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Framed Oil Portrait Painting to the 1870s.
This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.
German ( b.1823 - d.1875 ).
Self Portrait, Munich 1875.
Oil On Canvas.
Signed & Dated Lower Left.
Image size 34.1 inches x 26.6 inches ( 86.5cm x 67.5cm ).
Frame size 42.5 inches x 34.8 inches ( 108cm x 88.5cm ).
The painting is presented and supplied in its original period frame (which is shown in these photographs).
The frame has benefitted from cleaning, restoration and reinforcement, which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval.
The canvas and the painted surface have been professionally restored whilst in previous ownership, probably within the last 20 years. This includes a couple of repairs to perforations in the canvas which are of good material integrity.
This antique painting is in good condition. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display.
The painting is signed and dated 1875 lower left.
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Albin Mattenheimer was a German painter associated with the artistic traditions of Bavaria during the nineteenth century. Born in Bamberg in 1823, he belonged to the distinguished Mattenheimer family of artists, several generations of whom worked as painters, restorers, and teachers in southern Germany.
© Big Sky Fine Art
This striking and deeply moving self-portrait by the German painter Albin Mattenheimer (1823–1875) was executed in 1875, the final year of the artist’s life, lending the work a profound emotional resonance and historical significance. Painted in oil on canvas and on an impressive scale, the portrait presents Mattenheimer in a moment of quiet introspection, his penetrating gaze engaging the viewer with remarkable immediacy and sincerity.
Set against a softly illuminated landscape backdrop, the artist depicts himself seated, wearing a simple hat and dark rural attire. The dramatic interplay of light and shadow across his weathered features demonstrates Mattenheimer’s accomplished handling of realism and atmospheric effects. His thick beard, thoughtful expression, and slightly guarded posture create a compelling image of a man reflecting upon a life devoted to art. The restrained palette of earthy browns, deep blacks, and muted blues enhances the painting’s mood of contemplation and dignity.
What makes this work particularly poignant is its date. Created in the year of Mattenheimer’s death, it can be viewed as a final artistic statement—a deeply personal meditation on identity, mortality, and the passage of time. The portrait possesses an honesty and psychological depth that elevate it beyond a conventional likeness, offering a rare glimpse into the inner world of a nineteenth-century artist confronting the closing chapter of his life.
For a full biography of this artist please see his listing on www.bigskyfineart.com .
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Contact us by phone on +44 (0) 1305 581426 or email art@bigskyfineart.com .
Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Framed Oil Portrait Painting to the 1870s.
This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.
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Albin Mattenheimer 1823 - 1875. Self-portrait, Munich, 1875. Framed Oil Painting.
