(Haina 1761–1836 Oldenburg)
A Campagna landscape with Diana and her nymphs at the hunt,
oil on canvas, 147 x 198 cm, framed

We are grateful to Helmut Börsch-Supan for confirming the authenticity of the present painting. A certificate is available.

This elegantly composed painting is a characteristic work of the Oldenburg-based court painter Strack. The artist took up his training in 1773 under his uncle, the Kassel court painter Johann Heinrich Tischbein the Elder. In 1783, Tischbein introduced his nephew to his future employer, Duke Peter Frederick Louis of Oldenburg. Between 1787 and 1794 the artist sojourned in Naples and Rome. In 1796, Strack entered the service of Landgrave William IX and in 1796 switched to the Eutin court of the Duke of Oldenburg. He moved to Oldenburg in 1803. Although Strack also painted landscapes, his most typical works are primarily those featuring idealised Arcadian landscapes based on sketches the artist produced while in Italy.

In the present painting, Strack clearly appears to be under the influence of Jakob Philipp, with whom he was in close contact during his time in Naples. Through his cousin Wilhelm Tischbein, Strack was engaged in a vivid exchange with other artists of the German colonies in both Naples and Rome. He was a close friend of Angelika Kauffmann and Johann Christian Reinhardt.