FRÉDÉRIQUE O´CONNELL

(
/ 1885)

FREDERIQUE O´CONNELL Potsdam, Germany (1823) / Paris, France (1885) "Venus served by cherubs", 1854

Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right. This monumental work was created by the German artist Emilie Friederike Auguste Miethe, later known as O'Connell. A student of Carl Begas (1794-1854), she continued her studies with Louis Gallait (1810-1877) in Brussels, and then moved to Paris. During the 1840s and 50s, she achieved public and critical acclaim, but her career deteriorated, as did her mental health. Abandoned by her husband and friends, she died alone and forgotten. For this reason, her work remains scarce and little known, making the discovery of this large canvas a significant find. The work, as is evident, is deeply influenced by Rubens, as are other creations from her time in Brussels. Interestingly, Philippe Burty, in an article entitled “L'Atelier de Madame O'Oconnell,” mentions the existence in her Brussels studio of a work entitled “Venus servie par les Amours.” Our work is dated 1854, when Frederique had already moved to Paris, although it cannot be ruled out that it is the one mentioned by Burty. Reference bibliography: -Burty, Ph. “L'Atelier de Madame O'Oconnell”, Gazette des beaux-arts, Paris, G. Wildenstein, vol. 5, January 1, 1860, pp. 349-55. Frederique Emilie Auguste O'Connell. Measurements: 273 x 215 cm.