He also painted this stunner.  You might recognize this painting if you look at a lot of art all the time.  But if you are still having trouble it is the Austrian artist Friedrich Von Amerling.  My teacher, Adrian Gottlieb, showed me his work.  But why didn’t anybody else showed me up until far into my art education?

I think it is because he did not follow the second part of the definition of Classic which is:  Traditional, Enduring.  Amerling was just a portrait painter which is not really as enduring as paintings of traditional or classical.  Any other artist that is a big name has painted classical, historical, or social subjects even if the majority of their subjects were portraits. Sargent–yes, mostly painted pretty portraits but also painted the murals in Boston, and all of his social paintings about WWI. Bouguereau–Many paintings of pretty young girls and portraits can be found, but he also painted countless classical and religious stories.  There are so many other examples as well.

What kind of paintings are getting painted the most today during the rise of “Classical Realism”?  Are they of an enduring nature?  Are they going to be remembered not only for their beauty but for their story or statement?   Amerling is an example of being able to find and capture the most beautiful things, but without substance behind them even his masterful work has been forgotten.  What subjects are the most “enduring” and how can we find them and paint them?

Two Sisters

Mother And Children – Charity

Portrait of Princess Marie Franziska von Liechtenstein At The Age Of Two

Fisherboy (Josef von Amerling)

Portrait Of The Future Prince Johann II von Liechtenstein
On A White Pony

Portrait of Princess Karoline von Liechtenstein

Joseph Amerling As A Child (The Artist’s Brother)

Count August Ferdinand Breuner-Enckevoirt
With His Wife Maria Theresia Esterhazy And Both Children

Portrait Of Prince Victor Odescalchi In A Greek Costume

The Drowsy One

Eduard-Edler von Mosel

Portrait Of Younger Brother Joseph

Portrait Of Rudolf von Arthaber And His Children

Mother Love

Portrait Of Princess Sophie von Liechtenstein

The Widow

Young Girl

The Deaf Girl