Attributed to Christian Friedrich Tieck (1776-1851) | German, first half 19th century | Portrait Bust of a Gentleman

Please note that this lot will be sent to our Greenford Park warehouse following the sale.

Christian Friedrich Tieck studied under Johann Gottfried Schadow at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin and joined Schadow's studio in 1794. Tieck was involved with the Romantic movement in Germany through his brother the poet Ludwig Tieck. Ludwig introduced him to literary circles and Friedrich was commissioned to sculpt Goethe's portrait in 1801. Tieck won a scholarship to go to Rome in 1805 and there met Christian Daniel Rauch with whom he collaborated on many projects. Tieck gained a reputation for his portraits and was chosen by Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to sculpt the twenty-five busts of famous men for the Walhalla near Regensburg.

The present bust can be compared to other portraits by Tieck, such as his bust of Karl Friedrich Schinkel of 1819, or his earlier bust of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1808). The herm format is typical of Tieck's work as are the animated characterisation and the intricately ruffled locks of hair. The chisel uncompromisingly captures pimples, veins and jowls in a tour-de-force of classicising realism.