Face to Face
Austrian portrait painting of the 19th century
‘Giving a face to an era of change’ is the title given by the DomQuartier to its new exhibition ‘Austrian Portrait Painting of the 19th Century’. During this period, “democratisation took place, leading to a diversity of forms of expression in painting – from the depiction of rulers to an increasing visualisation of bourgeois figures. This trend of having one’s portrait painted offered a means of representation and self-expression, and the resulting works captivate viewers with their wealth of painting techniques, styles and types.
The exhibition brings together portraits of rulers, family and children’s portraits, portraits of ladies and gentlemen, self-portraits and studio scenes. They show the subjects as they wanted to be seen. This development was further fuelled in the 1850s with the advent of photography and is finding a new expression today with personal staging on Instagram and other social media platforms. And so, the portrait accompanies us constantly in its many facets, right down to its depiction in passports and driving licences, where it serves as a means of identification,” according to the Domquartier in its exhibition description.
The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of (curator) tours and a series of talks. There will be two tours at the festival opening on 19 July, and a catalogue has also been published to accompany the exhibition. More information is available here.
Date/Time
Fri, 6.6.25 - Mon, 29.9.25
