#GalleryOfBeauties
LightNews LightNews
mdstamper.bsky.social
Katerina "Rosa" Botsari by Joseph Karl Stieler (German) - Oil on canvas / 1841 - Schloss Nymphenburg (Munich, Germany) #WomenInArt #PortraitofaWoman #art #JosephKarlStieler #artwork #SchlossNymphenburg #Schönheitengalerie #GalleryOfBeauties #NymphenburgPalace #womensart #courtier #beauty #GreekWoman
From 1827 to 1850, German artist Joseph Karl Stieler, court painter of Bavaria, was commissioned by King Ludwig I to create 36 portraits of the most beautiful noble women of Munich, Germany. These portraits were to decorate the south pavilion of Ludwig’s Nymphenburg Summer Palace. Among the most popular was this romanticized Neoclassical portrait of a Greek beauty from Janina, Katerina “Rosa” Botsaris, the daughter of Markos Botsaris, a hero of the Greek Revolution. The Botsaris name, her delightful personality, and great beauty attracted the attention of Amalia of Oldenburg, Queen of Greece from 1836 to 1862 as the spouse of King Otto, who appointed Katerina as her 1st Greek Lady-in-Waiting. In 1841, Katerina accompanied Queen Amalia to Munich, the birthplace of King Otto. Reportedly, upon arrival, as she was getting out of her carriage, King Ludwig of Bavaria noticed Katerina’s beauty and hurried to assist her. Later on, Otto, and Amalia suggested Katerina’s a portrait for the Gallery of Beauties, and King Ludwig quickly agreed. It is said that she was given the name "Rosa" as a way of "leaving behind her real name, from the ruby ​​color of the rose … that her lips and cheeks had." Her complexion is glowing and creamy, her cheeks blushed with youth. High arched eyebrows frame a long straight nose and brown heavy-lidded eyes, which look out at us kindly, with a slight smile. Glossy chestnut hair flows down her neck, blending into the tassel of her jauntily placed hat and the black fur collar of her jacket. She poses in front of the blue, tranquil Aegean Sea, and the pale blue but luminous Greek sky ... a landscape that is atmospheric and tranquil, matching her character and demeanor. She wears an exquisite, fitted Kontogouni (vest) of crimson velvet, embroidered with gold cords, a crisp white Poukamisa (shirt), and a silk pleated skirt, emphasizing her feminine shape. The Kontogouni survived and is still a prized treasure of the National History Museum of Greece.
June 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM
mdstamper.bsky.social
Lady Jane Elizabeth Digby by Joseph Karl Stieler (German) - Oil on canvas / 1831 - Nymphenburg Palace (Munich, Germany) #womeninart #portrait #josephkarlstieler #art #fineart #NymphenburgPalace #oilpainting #stieler #galleryofbeauties #womensart #portaitofawoman #beauty #schönheitengalerie #german
In a half-length pose, well-known English aristocrat and débutante beauty, Lady Jane Elizabeth Digby, gazes upward with an expression that is both confident and alluring, capturing her spirited personality. Her serene yet assertive demeanor reflects an aristocratic background and unconventional life. She is dressed in a sumptuous off-the-shoulder silk or satin midnight blue gown that shimmers in soft tones, accentuating her delicate complexion. A gold tiara, matching the curly golden braids of her hair, is elegant, enhancing rather than overpowering her natural beauty. A braided strand of gold adorns her neckline, adding a touch of refinement. The contrast from the red curtain background focuses attention entirely on Jane, emphasizing her radiant complexion and finely detailed features. Jane, daughter of Admiral Henry Digby of Trafalgar, was scandalous as a courtier to royalty across Europe with at least 4 husbands and a multitude of lovers including Lord Ellenborough, Governor-General of India, King Ludwig I of Bavaria and his son King Otto of Greece, Austrian statesman Prince Felix zu Schwarzenberg, and the Greek general Christodoulos Hatzipetros. She was such an influencer in the 1800s that Jane is regarded as a contributor to the Kama Sutra and, supposedly, the originator of the word "cad." She finally found true happiness with bedouin Arab sheikh Medjuel el Mezrab, who was 20 years her junior. As his wife, Jane passed away in Damascus, then part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1831, then Lady Jane Ellenborough, legendary German portrait artist Joseph Karl Stieler painted her for the Gallery of Beauties (Schönheitengalerie) — a collection of 38 portraits of the most beautiful women from nobility and bourgeoisie, gathered by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in the south pavilion of Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace) in of Munich. All but two of the exquisite portraits were painted between 1827 and 1850 by Stieler, the others by his student Friedrich Dürck.
January 22, 2025 at 3:59 AM