14 - J. BÖNECKE (*1840), The gentle gaze, 1849, Pastel

J. BÖNECKE (*1840), The gentle gaze, 1849, Pastel J. C. Bönecke (born around 1840 Berlin): The gentle gaze Portrait of a gentleman in Biedermeier fashion, 1849, Pastel Technique: Pastel on Paper Stamp: Verso Collector's stamp, Lugt no.: 4041. Arnold Blome. Bremen. 20th century Inscription: Lower middle signed: "C. Bönecke 1849". Lower middle dated: "1849". Date: 1849 Description: A middle-class gentleman, dressed in a black frock coat and white shirt, with short, forward-combed hair, directs his alert, clear gaze directly at the viewer. The intensity of his gaze creates a fascinating role reversal - the viewer feels observed and the sitter seems to be enjoying it. His slight smile further emphasises this illusion. It is the end of the Biedermeier period. The fashionable "patricide collar" and the black scarf tightly constricting the neck still point to the social constraints of the era. But the posture is relaxed and the buttons of the frock coat are undone. The portrait is not intended to represent social status or certain views of life. The focus is now on the sitter himself, his character, his appearance, his weaknesses and strengths. The drawing can thus be seen as a discreet but clear harbinger of the new era in art - the era of realism. Bönecke is clearly influenced here by the portrait art of the Berlin painter Franz Krüger, whose way of handling pastel he adopts, while retaining his own vitality. Keywords: Biedermeier, Portrait, Gentleman, 19th century, Biedermeier, Portraits, Germany, Size: Paper: 32,2 cm x 27,2 cm (12,7 x 10,7 in) Condition: Good condition. Sporadically stained, slight tidemark lower left.