Henriette Baronin Pereira-Arnstein mit ihrer Tochter Flora 1833

This is a portrait of Henriette Baronin Pereira-Arnstein and her daughter Flora, painted by Friedrich von Amerling, probably sometime in the mid-19th century, using oil on canvas. The sheen and textures are skillfully rendered through layers of paint, giving a sense of the luxurious textiles and upholstered furniture of the Biedermeier era. Look closely and you will see how the artist pays attention to the finest details. The layers of fabrics piled on the subjects are particularly evident. But these materials did not come from nowhere; their production depended on vast networks of labor, from agriculture and textile mills, right through to the seamstresses who would have constructed these garments. The work involved in making the painting itself is considerable, and the very fact that the sitters could afford to commission a portrait speaks volumes. Painting like this, with its illusionistic qualities, was considered a ‘high’ art, but actually relied on the ‘low’ arts of grinding pigments, stretching canvas, and preparing varnishes. Next time you look at a painting, think about the huge amount of craft it involved.