Artwork

Friedrich Barbarossa enfeoffs Heinrich Jasomirgott and Heinrich the lion

Friedrich Barbarossa enfeoffs Heinrich Jasomirgott and Heinrich the lion is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Karl von Blaas. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

Karl von Blaas, an Austrian painter active in the mid‑nineteenth century, produced an oil on canvas in 1860 that records a medieval investiture ceremony. The work, classified as a history painting, is part of the Biedermeier tradition and is presently housed in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa formally granting fiefs to two German nobles: Henry Jasomirgott, then Duke of Bavaria, and Henry the Lion, future Duke of Saxony. By focusing on this moment of feudal authority, the painting underscores the legal and symbolic transfer of power within the empire’s hierarchy.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil, the piece employs the smooth, polished surface typical of Biedermeier academic painting, with careful modeling of figures and a restrained palette. Von Blaas’s handling suggests a layered glazing approach, allowing subtle tonal variations that enhance the three‑dimensionality of the courtly setting.

History & Provenance

Completed in 1860, the canvas entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s 19th‑century emphasis on assembling representative works of Austrian art and European historical narrative.

Context

During the Biedermeier period, artists often turned to national and medieval themes to evoke a sense of continuity and order after the upheavals of the Napoleonic era. Von Blaas’s choice of a 12th‑century imperial ceremony aligns with this trend, linking contemporary Austrian identity to the legacy of the Holy Roman Empire.

Władysław Jagiełło and Vytautas praying before the battle of Grunwald, Jan Matejko

Artist & collection

Artist

Karl von Blaas

Karl von Blaas (28 April 1815 – 19 March 1894) was an Austrian painter known for his portraits and religious compositions executed on canvas as well as in the form of frescoes.