(Augsburg 1690-after 1756 Munich)
Portraits of Prince-elector Charles Albert of Bavaria with the Order of the Golden Fleece and of his younger brother Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria in armour with the chain of the Order of the Golden Fleece,
oil on canvas, each 84.7 x 62.5 cm, framed (2)

We are grateful to Helmut Börsch-Supan for confirming the authenticity of this work and for identifying the sitter. A comprehensive certificate is available.

Winter executed these extraordinary portraits of the two Wittelsbach brothers following the model offered by two portraits by the Munich court painter Joseph Vivien. Börsch-Supan was able to document Winter’s authorship. The Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich preserves a portrait of Charles Albert from which Josef Mörl derived a copper engraving that confirms without a doubt the name of the artist who painted the portrait: “Winter ad vivum pin(xit)”. An x-ray examination of the picture showed that a different, earlier version is hidden under this portrait of the Prince-elector in old age. It exactly matches the present portrait and was probably a preliminary study for it. Winter moved to Munich about 1710. From 1715 onwards, as the Prince-elector’s court and chamber painter, he executed numerous portraits of the members of the House of Wittelsbach. The Prince’s brother, Charles Albert, was ruling Prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726. After the death of Emperor Charles VI and the extinction of the House of Hapsburg, he became Emperor as Charles VII in 1742. His brief reign was marked by failure and misfortune. His younger brother, Ferdinand Maria, became Imperial Fieldmarshal and Imperial Master of Army Equipment in 1738.