Heinrich Franz Gaudenz Rustige (1810-1900)

FAMILY FEAST

Frankfurt, 1842
A representative, group, family portrait depicting an old married couple, likely on the occasion of their diamond wedding anniversary, accompanied by four generations of family members gathered in a grand interior. The seemingly unified composition of the work breaks down into individual stories and interactions between the participants of the celebratory event. The expertly rendered atmosphere and psychology of the characters bring us into a theatrical plot in which each participant has their characteristic role. The undoubtedly masterful quality of the work is not only a significant artifact, but also a document of the contemporary culture and lifestyle of the well-to-do urban class of the late Biedermeier period. Marked at the bottom Rustige 1842 frankfurt a/m. Oil on canvas 93 x 140 cm.