Lot 1506 Dα

This imposing mountain landscape depicts the area around Oberaudorf. It is a product of Wagenbauer's later period, painted in 1827/28, and forms a pendant to another mountainous landscape of identical size (Heine, op. cit., p. 135, no. 507a & 507b). Wagenbauer visited the town of Reisach near Oberaudorf in 1826, and his stay there proved to be a highly fruitful artistic phase. He wrote in a letter: “I have made such interesting drawings alongside a large drawing in my two sketch books, that I will be busy for three days making them. This is such a rich area that I will stay here 4-6 days.” (cited from the German in Heine, op. cit., p. 13)
With “rich area”, Wagenbauer was referring to the Upper Bavarian landscape. The depiction of its impressive natural features was to occupy him throughout his career. Wagenbauer was born in Grafing in 1775 and specialised in landscape and animal painting early on. He first worked entirely in the tradition of Dutch 17th century Classicism, and critics repeatedly compared his animal paintings to those of Paulus Potter and other Netherlandish painters. He later began to work in a more naturalistic manner, thus paving the way for the modern school of Munich painters in the 19th century.
How much his work was appreciated by his contemporaries is reflected in the commissions that Wagenbauer received from the Electoral, and later the Royal court of Munich. He was among the artists commissioned by Crown Prince Ludwig to paint views of Bavarian lakes for Nymphenburg Palace.