(Heilbronn 1751–1818 Vienna)
Queen Semiramis,
signed and dated lower right: Füger pinx. 1800,
oil on canvas, 112.5 x 88.5 cm, framed

Provenance:
Private collection, Hamburg;
Kunst- und Industrie-Comptoir, Schreyvogel, Vienna, 1804;
Private collection, Germany

Literature:
H. R. Füessli, Annalen der Bildenden Künste für die österreichischen Staaten, vol. I, Vienna 1801, p. 83;
s.a., Etwas über die Leipziger Messe, in: Journal des Luxus und der Moden, June 1804, pp. 293–294;
F. Von Boetticher, Malerwerke des Neunzehnten Jahrhunderts, vol. I, Dresden 1891, p. 340, no. 45;
K. Wilczek, Heinrich Friedrich Füger. Seine Gemälde und Zeichnungen, ms. diss., Vienna 1925, no. 87;
R. Keil, Heinrich Friedrich Füger 1751–1818. Nur wenigen ist es vergönnt das Licht der Wahrheit zu sehen, Vienna 2009, pp. 105, 348–349, no. 467, illustrated, no. 80

The present work was highly appreciated by contemporary art critiques (see below) and is a fine example of Füger at the peak of his career. After poor attempts the artist managed to grasp the essence of classical mythology and depicted these topics successfully in his paintings from around the turn of the century. As a young artist Füger had frequently painted historical and mythological themes in which women played a central role. Throughout his career the artist depicted mythological figures in pairs, mostly male and female, forming each other’s counterpart. Unfortunately, the pendant to the present work, embodied by Achilles mourning the death of Patroclus can no longer be traced and is only known in mezzotint by Vincenz Kininger (1767–1851), dated 1802, of which a print is conserved in the Winckelmann Museum in Stendal (inv. no. WG-B-241). In both the present painting and its pendant, known in print, the central figure appears detached from its surrounding and virtually challenges the viewer to identify with the depicted scene. Füger’s unique artistic intention makes the viewer reflect upon their own moral position. The artist achieved this by using the depiction of extremely restrained facial expressions and gestures, as is seen in the present work.

The best contemporary description of this painting was provided by the Vienna Academy’s secretary, Heinrich Rudolf Füessli: ‘The latter fully completed history painting depicts the Assyrian queen Semyramis, who, sitting at her toilette table, receives the disheartening news that the Babylonians have revolted against her. A composition of four figures, almost half life-size. The queen, who has just been busy combing her hair, receives the message from two of her courtiers, one of whom is a man of war; she turns to them sideways with a serious and fearless expression of pride, holding the comb in one hand while grasping a strand of her parted hair with the other; she seems about to suggest that this part of her hair should remain unkempt until the rebels have been punished.’ (see literature).

In 1804 the picture was presented at the Leipzig fair and described in the Journal des Luxus und der Moden: ‘A Semiramis by Füger […] who could admire the beautiful queen’s face, her dignity, grace, and horror expressed so felicitously, without wishing to have 150 louis in one’s pocket so as to be able to call this charming picture one’s own.’ (see literature).