Joseph Karl Stieler (1781 Mainz - 1858 Munich) Museum portrait of Archduchess Sophie Friederike of Austria In his large-format portrait, Stieler has composed the Archduchess dominantly in a mountainous, Upper Bavarian or Austrian river landscape. The portrait also shows her essential character traits and personality - beauty, intelligence and assertiveness, which was expressed in her political skills and influence. Stieler depicts the archduchess in a highly self-confident pose. In keeping with fashion and her status at the time, she wears a white-grey silk dress, a precious pearl necklace and an elegant summer hat adorned with rose petals, with a bright red, oversized, richly embroidered cashmere shawl as a fashion accessory. This historically important portrait, painted around 1835, stands out for several reasons: it is the first life-size, full-length portrait of Stieler to be rediscovered in the art trade for several decades. Moreover, Stieler only portrayed personalities from ruling houses in this way, without exception. The sitter is one such person. Sophie Friederike (1805 - 1872) was the eldest daughter of the future King Max I Joseph of Bavaria and thus a half-sister of King Ludwig I. In 1824, Sophie was married to Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (1802 - 1878), a son of Emperor Franz II (since 1804 Franz I of Austria). Sophie's eldest son Franz Joseph I (1830 - 1916) was the future Emperor of Austria. In 1848, the strong-willed Sophie proved her sense of leadership as the "only man at court". She was involved in the overthrow of Metternich, the abdication of Emperor Ferdinand I and her husband's abdication of the throne in favour of his son Franz Joseph I, who was only 18 years old. In 1854, Emperor Franz Joseph married his cousin Elisabeth Duchess in Bavaria (1837 - 1898), the legendary Empress Elisabeth ("Sisi" or later also known as "Sissi"), to whom Archduchess Sophie was very fond. Stieler was court painter to the Bavarian kings from 1820 to 1855 and one of the best and most sought-after portraitists of his time. In addition to portraits of the Wittelsbach family, Stieler created the world-famous "Gallery of Beauty" for King Ludwig I and painted portraits of the ruling houses of Europe, statesmen, scholars and artists. Stieler painted Archduchess Sophie several times from 1812 onwards. These include a portrait from 1825 with her twin sister Marie in a landscape and a three-quarter portrait with her son Franz Joseph from 1832. oil on canvas, double; 193 cm x 135 cm. Frame. Enclosed: Expertise by Dr Ulrike von Hase-Schmundt, Munich, August 1998/July 2025. Provenance: House of Wittelsbach/Bavaria; Joseph Clemens Prince of Bavaria (1902 - 1990); German private collection. Oil on canvas, relined. Accompanied by an expertise from Dr Ulrike von Hase-Schmundt, Munich, August 1998/July 2025.