Open full image Pin

Baron Hugel

Godfrey Thomas Vigne

1843

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Baron Hugel is a 1843 watercolor by Godfrey Thomas Vigne, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Godfrey Thomas Vigne
When & what style?: 1843 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This is a watercolor portrait of a man in a dark coat and high collar. His face is turned slightly to the side, with a mustache and wavy hair. The background is plain, letting the drawing focus on his features and clothing. The artist signed it in the corner, along with a date: October 27, 1843. The sketch feels quick but captures his expression well. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour drawing by Godfrey Thomas Vigne depicts Baron Karl Alexander Anselm von Hügel, an Austrian botanist, traveller, and diplomat known for his expeditions in the Near East, India, and the Far East between 1831 and 1837. The work reflects the historical context of von Hügel’s travels, including his journey to Egypt with P. Marilhat in 1831–32 and his meeting with Vigne in Kashmir in 1835. Von Hügel resided in Hietzing, a district of Vienna, during his lifetime. The drawing was later acquired by Frank Vigne, a great-nephew of the artist, from Charles Griffin of Monmouth in two…

Read the full account in the museum source.