Josef Mansfeld (austrian, Born In 1819) Still Life With A Cherry, An Apple, And A Bottle Of Wine

This still life featuring cherries, apples, and bottles of wine is the work of the Austrian painter Josef Mansfeld (1819–Vienna–1894). He painted genre scenes, portraits, and still lifes. Mansfeld specialized in still lifes featuring fruit, wine bottles, Bavarian mugs, and finely crafted glasses (Rohmer glasses).

Josef Mansfeld was the grandson of the engraver Joseph Georg Mansfeld. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts beginning in 1833, and his works were exhibited as early as 1845. Notable works from this period include his oil-on-canvas paintings “Consolation of a Blind Man” and “Abendruhe” (both from 1845), “The Chess Player” (1847) and “War Council in 1848” (1849; all housed at the Historical Museum). In 1852, he painted “The Old Couple.”

Bibliography: (in German) Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950. Austrian Academy of Sciences. Vienna, Published by the Austrian Academy of Sciences / Vienna/Graz: Böhlau 1954; Ulrich Thieme / Felix Becker [eds.]: Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart. 37 volumes. Leipzig: Engelmann 1907–1950; Prof. H. Fuchs, “Die Österreichischen Maler des 19. Jahrhunderts,” Vienna, 1975.

Inscription: signed upper left.

Medium: oil on wood panel, original period wooden frame.

Dimensions: unframed, width 21 cm x height 31.5 cm; framed, width 37 cm x height 48 cm.

Condition: very good condition.