Obituary of the painter Carl Henrici (Continuation)

Appendix.

Obituary. 2/3

(Continuation)

His Madonnas are also very popular, of which, alongside other paintings of saints, very many are likewise to be found. Some of these truly deserve great praise, while in others one finds fault with the lack of proper dignity and their falling too much into the galant style. The same applies to his portraits of holy female martyrs and other female saints. On this occasion I mention the anecdote that to an old clergyman, his friend, who had ordered twelve paintings of the twelve apostles from him, he painted and sent twelve beautiful holy virgins instead—Catherine, Barbara, and so on—a joke which, as an artist's whim, was ultimately well received.

He showed much talent in allegorical compositions, especially in those of a satirical content, as he demonstrated in several easel paintings of this kind and on several wooden targets for large shooting competitions, on which allegorical representations are generally very common. Hardly any task was too minor for him, and so he did not refuse to paint such targets, nor small pictures on parchment and paper for prayer books and memory albums.

He also produced larger works, several banners for church flags, and some altarpieces. All the altarpieces of the new church at Neustift in the Stubai Valley are by him; likewise two canvasses in the side altars of the curacy church at Aldein in the Neumarkt court jurisdiction. Others besides these are not known to me. Nor was he any less a fresco painter. In this medium, he painted the Chapel of Grace in the parish church at Botzen, the church at Steineck, and, what is probably the most excellent of his fresco works, the hall in the former Paul v. Menz house in Botzen. He was furthermore very skilled in architectural pieces, of which he left several proofs in easel paintings. Particularly valued in this respect was the so-called Holy Sepulchre painted by him in the Capuchin church at Botzen.

On many, though by no means on all of his paintings, the colors have subsequently faded considerably, perhaps because they were applied too lightly, but mainly because good and durable colors were not chosen. He often acknowledged this fault himself, but excused it by the fact that it was uncommonly difficult for him to obtain better colors, a complaint which, as he assured, was often heard from other painters in Italy as well as in Germany.

Henrici was a man of much wit and great natural talent for art. Had he in his youth been granted the good fortune of instruction in a thorough art school, he would very likely have risen to very distinguished fame. Be that as it may, he belongs to the class of very good and skilled practical painters, and many of his works will always remain valued. Among other things, he had the pleasure of seeing his merit recognized in a most distinguished manner when the Duke of Courland visited him while passing through, purchased several of his finished paintings, and some time later offered him the position of court painter on very favorable terms if he were willing to move his residence to Mitau. His favorable domestic situation in Botzen led him to decline the offer; yet it always flattered him when his friends more often called him the Ducal Courland court painter. The magistrate of Botzen gave him in the year 1788 a proof of appreciation for his merit by remitting on its own initiative the so-called trade tax, which a painter in Botzen according to old custom had to pay to the municipal treasury like any common craftsman, as an assessment unworthy of such an excellent artist. Even though this amounted to only a few guilders each year, the remission granted for the stated reason was for him at that time an honorific tribute that pleased him uncommonly.

He was well versed in the history of art, conversed much about it with his friends, but spoke most gladly and often of the painter of the Graces, Correggio, among whose pupils and imitators he liked to be counted. He dedicated a painting of his own to this great artist, representing an Elector of Saxony, surrounded by the grandees of his court, sitting full of admiration before Correggio's famous Night set in a magnificent frame adorned with precious stones; high in the clouds the goddess Pallas has brought forth the shadow of Correggio so that he may behold the beautiful spectacle and enjoy, at least after his death, his high fame of which, according to common account, so little fell to his lot while he lived.

Henrici lived very retired; he very rarely paid visits, and was never seen in inns or coffee houses; on the other hand, several friends of art frequently gathered in his studio, by whose presence he did not allow himself to be disturbed while painting. Even if a larger circle watched him, he continued to paint, taking part in all conversations, no matter how diverse. In such circles he was very cheerful and a pleasant companion, who knew how to enliven the conversation through erudition and anecdotes, and through witty, often biting ideas. He was accused, on the other hand, of behaving very differently in dealings with his family, namely in a very domineering, capricious, and surly manner. Notwithstanding this, he lived for nearly 50 years in a peaceful marriage with his modest wife, who esteemed him very highly and understood how to yield to his obstinacy and whims in a wise manner; for she died only on 27 March 1809, after having borne him eleven sons and four daughters. At the same time, through his diligence and strict economy, he had attained good prosperity. Among other things, he had purchased three vineyards in the vicinity of Botzen, and a house in the town itself, which he had also largely rebuilt. (Conclusion to follow.)