Carl Spitzweg

Otto Spitzweg
Purchased by the great-great-great uncle of the present owner from the above in 1920; thence by descent

The canvas has been relined. Apart from minor retouching visible under UV light, notably to a 2.5 by 4cm area along the left half of the upper edge, and some very thin horizontal strokes to lines of craquelure, this work is in good overall condition, and is ready to hang.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Ständchen contains all the elements which made and continue to make Spitzweg so endearing to collectors and the public imagination. Perched precariously on a ladder, a bespectacled suitor serenades his girl outside her garret window. The scene is an inimitable blend of humour and pathos, for the likely outcome of the lone fiddler's endeavours -  that he will be ignored or that the ladder will collapse before he has a chance to find out - goes almost without saying.

This hitherto unrecorded painting relates to two works of the same title recorded in Siegfried Wichmann's catalogue raisonné: no. 941, measuring 48.7 by 27cm, in the Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum, Hanover; and no. 942, the oil sketch for the former, measuring 24.3 by 13.4 cm, in a private collection.