The Fairies, (painting)

Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery

Object Details

artist
Steinbruck
Appears in exhibition catalog as entry no. 16
The same artist who painted No. 1. This painting is doubtless one of the most beautiful productions of modern Art. The subject is taken from a German poem called "The Fairies," by L. Tieck. . . . The city of Dusseldorf, . . . boasts of a school of Design which is renowned all over the world. . . . A large collection of pictures, by these artists, has lately been brought to this city. . . . One of these represents fairies doing homage to a peasant girl. The expression of innocent and pleased surprise in the face of the girl is admirably given, as the supernatural beings around her perform their gambols and offer their gifts . . . . "The Fairies," . . . is a charming piece of fancy, and as chaste as it is charming. . . . The water through which these elves--they are not children or child-like, or intended so to be--push the delighted and bewildered girl, is beautifully limpid; we have never seen painted drops so transparent and Mobile as those which stream from the lip of the brimming conCh. . . . The attitude of the one pushing, and the pensive air of the one sitting abstracted in the bow of the shell, are triumphs each in their way. So are the broad leaves, on one of which a rollicking little sprite has cast himself at full length. The surface of this picture is too elaborately worked; it has an enamelled look which detracts somewhat from its charms. . . . [Pp. 15-16; see entry 05180001 for other work noted in this commentary.]
Catalogue of a Private Collection of Paintings and Original Drawings by Artists of the Dusseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. New York: Wm. C. Bryant & Co., Printers, Nassau Street. 1851.
Artist address: Dusseldorf.
1876
Control number
AECI 05180014
Type
Paintings
Exhibition Catalogs
Pre-1877 Art Exhibition Catalogue Index
Topic
Fantasy--Fairy
Literature--Tieck Fairies
Occupation--Other--Peasant
Ceremony--Procession
Figure female--Child
Record ID
siris_aeci_98819
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply