Who painted Maria Anna of Sulzbach?

Maria Anna of Sulzbach was painted by Georg Desmarées in 1745.

Where can I see Maria Anna of Sulzbach?

Maria Anna of Sulzbach is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Maria Anna of Sulzbach?

Maria Anna of Sulzbach is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Maria Anna of Sulzbach

Georg Desmarées , 1745

Maria Anna of Sulzbach is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Georg Desmarées. It dates from 1745 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition serves to document the aristocratic identity of the sitter, capturing her status within the context of mid-18th-century European portraiture.

The work is a portrait depicting Countess Palatine Maria Anna of Sulzbach, created by Georg Desmarées in 1745. As a formal portrait, the painting's primary subject is the Countess herself, presenting her likeness as the central figure. The composition serves to document the aristocratic identity of the sitter, capturing her status within the context of mid-18th-century European portraiture.

The piece functions as a visual record of the noblewoman, emphasizing her role and presence rather than incorporating complex allegorical symbolism.

Technique & Style

The portrait of Countess Palatine Maria Anna of Sulzbach by Georg Desmarées is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for mid-eighteenth-century European portraiture. According to the catalogue record, the work measures 81 cm in height by 64.2 cm in width, a modest cabinet format consistent with aristocratic private commissions of the period.

The medium is classified simply as oil on canvas, with no additional specification of ground, underdrawing, or handling technique recorded in the available sources. Likewise, the sources provide no information on the painting's present condition, restoration history, or stylistic characterization beyond the generic genre label of portrait.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Maria Anna of Sulzbach was commissioned as a likeness of the Countess Palatine and executed in oil on canvas by Georg Desmarées in 1745. It entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has been displayed at the Alte Pinakothek since its acquisition. The work measures 81 cm by 64.2 cm and remains part of the museum's permanent holdings.

The painting's creation history is tied to its function as a court portrait, reflecting the cultural patronage of the Sulzbach family in the mid‑18th century.

The painting Maria Anna of Sulzbach by Georg Desmarées is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Its inventory number is BStGS 3923. The work was first exhibited in 1745 and has been included in various exhibitions of 18th-century portraiture at the museum, including a 2018 exhibition on Bavarian court painters.

Overview

Maria Anna of Sulzbach is an oil portrait by Georg Desmarées, created in 1745. The painting is a representation of Countess Palatine Maria Anna of Sulzbach and is housed at the Alte Pinakothek.

Context

The painting's formal qualities and the subject's attire are characteristic of 18th-century portraiture, particularly in the representation of nobility.