Johann Georg von Dillis

Johann Georg von Dillis was considered one of the leading artists in Germany in the late 18th and early 19th Century.  Dillis became an art teacher at a very young age and he held a number of important positions during his career, including Professor of landscape painting at the art academy in Munich and art advisor to Ludwig I.

Although he is perhaps better known for his landscapes, his portraiture is also an important part of his oeuvre.  The present portrait of a young girl reading is clearly drawn from life, as the artist's inscription on the mount indicates.  The spontaneity and immediacy of this drawing can be read in the light but rapid application of chalk.  Dillis' subtle use of touches of red and brown injects a warmth which accentuates the tenderness of the portrait.  The observer is at once drawn into this intimate and quiet moment, where the young girl is immersed in her book.