The son of a craftsman, he was trained at an early age in the workshop of a copper engraver and then attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Travels to Italy followed, where he studied the Venetian school of painting in particular. Soon after, he was drawn to Paris, the city where the first portraits of emperors and kings were created.
Enthused by Winterhalter's virtuosity, Napoleon III provided him with a studio in the Tuilleries.
The path to becoming a portraitist reached its peak with the paintings of Empress Sisi of Austria. In the meantime, he had risen to become the most famous German portrait painter, and Emperor Franz of Austria commissioned the painter to create a picture of the empress. It was to be a personal, intimate work, not intended for the eyes of the public. A little earlier, he had already produced a representative portrait of Sisi and her husband for the public.
Now a work was to be created for the eyes of the emperor only.
The portrait shows the beautiful, universally beloved empress with loose hair in delicate silky, loosely draped, robe. It should decorate the study of the emperor.
Word had spread everywhere about how flattering and lovely the painter was able to depict women in particular. The commissions reached such a high number that they were often too much for Winterhalter alone to handle. He therefore had his brother Hermann, who worked in his studio, make at least the copies that were customary for state portraits.
×
Passionate Customer Service
 Surrounded by her Ladies-in-Waiting 1855 - (MeisterDrucke-100747).jpg "Empress Eugenie Surrounded by her Ladies-in-Waiting, 1855 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 Surrounded by her Ladies-in-Waiting 1855 - (MeisterDrucke-100747).jpg)
 Empress of Austria wife of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (1830-1916) - (MeisterDrucke-40226).jpg "Elizabeth of Bavaria (1837-98), Empress of Austria, Wife of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (1830-1916) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 Empress of Austria wife of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (1830-1916) - (MeisterDrucke-40226).jpg)
 nee Varvara Dmitrievna Mergassov 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-72813).jpg "Portrait of Madame Rimsky-Korsakov (1833-78) nee Varvara Dmitrievna Mergassov, 1864 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 nee Varvara Dmitrievna Mergassov 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-72813).jpg)
.jpg "Countess Olga Shuvalova by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916) - (MeisterDrucke-50873).jpg "Elizabeth of Bavaria (1837-98), wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916) - (MeisterDrucke-50873).jpg)
.jpg "Princess Pauline von Metternich by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Countess Orlov-Denisov by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_(sissi)_Imperator_of_Austria_(1_-_(MeisterDrucke-1034919).jpg "Portrait of Elisabeth de Wittelsbach (Sissi), Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_(sissi)_Imperator_of_Austria_(1_-_(MeisterDrucke-1034919).jpg)
 1859 - (MeisterDrucke-204282).jpg "Portrait of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 1859 - (MeisterDrucke-204282).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Queen Victoria, 1859 oil on canvas (detail) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 wearing the dress uniform of an Austrian Field Marshal with the Great Star of the Military Order of Maria Theresa 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-71829).jpg "Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria (1830-1916) wearing the dress uniform of an Austrian Field Marshal with the Great Star of the Military Order of Maria Theresa, 1864 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 wearing the dress uniform of an Austrian Field Marshal with the Great Star of the Military Order of Maria Theresa 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-71829).jpg)
.jpg "Carmen Aguado, duchesse de Montmorency by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Young Italian at the Well, c.1833-34 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Florinda by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Approaching Storm by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Francoise Caroline de Bourbon Bragance, Princess of Joinville by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess of Baden, 1856 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Empress Eugenie and her Ladies in Waiting, detail of Baronne de Malaret, nee Nathalie de Segur yellow dress, Marquise de las Marismas white dress & Marquise de La Tour Maubourg by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady with a Fan by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_Painting_-_(MeisterDrucke-983958).jpg "Portrait of the Princess of Sayn Wittgenstein Sayn by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Painting_-_(MeisterDrucke-983958).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_in_1855_surrounds_the_ladies_of_honor_of_the_Det_-_(MeisterDrucke-1029499).jpg "The Empress Eugenie in 1855 Surrounded by the Ladies of Honor by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_in_1855_surrounds_the_ladies_of_honor_of_the_Det_-_(MeisterDrucke-1029499).jpg)
.jpg "Elisabeth, Empress of Austria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Marie-Louise, the first Queen of the Belgians by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Maria Alexandrovna, 1857 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Eugénie of Montijo by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Young Woman in a Vineyard, 1851 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess Elizaveta Alexandrovna Tchernicheva by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_Painting_by_Franz_Xaver_W_-_(MeisterDrucke-988153).jpg "Portrait of the architect Karl Berckmuller by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Painting_by_Franz_Xaver_W_-_(MeisterDrucke-988153).jpg)
.jpg "Princess Charlotte of Belgium by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Empress Eugénie by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Marie-Christine of Bourbon-Sicily by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Liza Przezdziecka by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 Prince de Joinville 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-106080).jpg "Francois-Ferdinand-Philippe d")
 Prince de Joinville 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-106080).jpg)
.jpg "Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_Empress_of_Austria_-_(MeisterDrucke-898578).jpg "Elizabeth (1837-98), Empress of Austria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Empress_of_Austria_-_(MeisterDrucke-898578).jpg)
_and_her_Ladies_in_Waiting_detail_of_the_Princess_of_-_(MeisterDrucke-86595).jpg "Empress Eugenie and her Ladies in Waiting (detail) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_and_her_Ladies_in_Waiting_detail_of_the_Princess_of_-_(MeisterDrucke-86595).jpg)
 Countess of Morny 1863 - (MeisterDrucke-65119).jpg "Portrait of Sophie Troubetskoy, Countess of Morny by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 Countess of Morny 1863 - (MeisterDrucke-65119).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Augusta, Princess of Prussia by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna Charlotte of Prussia by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_P_-_(MeisterDrucke-961518).jpg "Portrait of Marie Charlotte Amelie of Saxony, Empress of Mexico by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_P_-_(MeisterDrucke-961518).jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Franz Joseph I of Austria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 and Prince Albert (1819-61) with - (MeisterDrucke-285424).jpg "Queen Victoria and Prince Albert with Five of Their Children, 1846 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 and Prince Albert (1819-61) with - (MeisterDrucke-285424).jpg)
_Spanish_soprano_i_-_(MeisterDrucke-961578).jpg "Portrait of the singer Adelina Patti, Spanish soprano interpreting the role of Rosine in")
_Spanish_soprano_i_-_(MeisterDrucke-961578).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Victoria, Princess Royal by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Louise of Orléans, Queen of the Belgians by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Helene Louise of Mecklembourg Schwerin, Duchess of Orleans and the Count of Paris by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Her Majesty the Queen receiving King Louis Philippe in Windsor Castle, 8 October 1844 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_(sissi_ou_sisi)_imperatrice_dAu_-_(MeisterDrucke-1318301).jpg "Portrait of Elisabeth of Wittelsbach (Sissi) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_(sissi_ou_sisi)_imperatrice_dAu_-_(MeisterDrucke-1318301).jpg)
.jpg "Empress Elisabeth of Austria with Diamond stars in her hair by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_from_Illustrations_of_English_and_Scottish_History_Volum_-_(MeisterDrucke-65861).jpg "Prince Albert (1819-61) from")
_from_Illustrations_of_English_and_Scottish_History_Volum_-_(MeisterDrucke-65861).jpg)
_King_of_the_Belgians_Painting_by_Xaver_-_(MeisterDrucke-969917).jpg "Portrait in Foot of Leopold I (1790-1865), King of the Belgians by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_King_of_the_Belgians_Painting_by_Xaver_-_(MeisterDrucke-969917).jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and children by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of King Leopold I in Uniform by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_Pain_-_(MeisterDrucke-948085).jpg "Portrait of Marie Amelie de Bourbon, Queen of the French. 1842 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Pain_-_(MeisterDrucke-948085).jpg)
_(1833-1878)_Painti_-_(MeisterDrucke-960537).jpg "Portrait of Madame Barbe by Rimsky-Korsakov by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_(1833-1878)_Painti_-_(MeisterDrucke-960537).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Prince Alfred, Later Duke of Edinburgh by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Madame Adelaide d")
.jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of François-Ferdinand-Philippe d")
.jpg)
_Painting_-_(MeisterDrucke-971196).jpg "Portrait of the Duchess of Morny, Princess Troubestkoy. Painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1806-1873) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Painting_-_(MeisterDrucke-971196).jpg)
.jpg "Pedro V, King of Portugal by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Leonilla Ivanovna Baryatinskaya, Princess zu Sayn Wittgenstein, 1843 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess Marie of Orleans, by Franz Xavier Winterhalter by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess Marie Luise Alexandrine of Prussia, born Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1808-1877) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess Sophia Radziwill by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "King Louis-Philippe I of France 1773-1850, 1900 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Sophie Guillemette, Grand Duchess of Baden by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Princess Francisca of Brazil by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Nadezhda Nikolayevna Rimskaya-Korsakova née Purgold, c. 1870 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 wife of Napoleon Bonaparte III (1808-73) - (MeisterDrucke-71091).jpg "Empress Eugenie of France (1826-1920) Wife of Napoleon Bonaparte III by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 wife of Napoleon Bonaparte III (1808-73) - (MeisterDrucke-71091).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Girl, Head and Shoulders, Draped in a Blue and White Wrap by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_Princess_of_Wuerttemberg_-_(MeisterDrucke-1468461).jpg "Portrait of Sophia Frederika Mathilda, Princess of Württemberg by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Princess_of_Wuerttemberg_-_(MeisterDrucke-1468461).jpg)
.jpg "Christian Friedrich, Baron Stockmar, engraved by Thomas Fairland by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Eugénie, Empress of the French by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_with_his_son_-_(MeisterDrucke-898857).jpg "Helene-Louise de Mecklembourg-Schwerin, Duchess of Orleans (1814-58) with his son Count of Paris (1838-94) 1839 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_with_his_son_-_(MeisterDrucke-898857).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of HRH Princess Marie Clementine of Orleans by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Grand Duchess Sophie of Baden by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of the Royal Princess, Duchess of Orléans by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_daughter_of_King_Louis_Phil_-_(MeisterDrucke-1001912).jpg "Portrait of Princess Clementine d")
_daughter_of_King_Louis_Phil_-_(MeisterDrucke-1001912).jpg)
_Louis_Philippe_I_in_the_-_(MeisterDrucke-1554908).jpg "Louis Philippe I in the Uniform of the General Officer by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_Louis_Philippe_I_in_the_-_(MeisterDrucke-1554908).jpg)
.jpg "Portraits of Empress Eugenie and Imperial Prince. Eugenie de Montijo (1826 - 1920) and her son with Napoleon III, Napoleon Eugene Louis Bonaparte (1856-1879) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of the Empress of France Eugenie by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Countess Maria Ivanovna Lamsdorf, née Beck by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
 (see 164366 164367 164369) - (MeisterDrucke-147403).jpg "Portrait of a Woman (detail) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
 (see 164366 164367 164369) - (MeisterDrucke-147403).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1583601).jpg "Emperor Napoleon III by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1583601).jpg)
.jpg "Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Courtly Gala Dress with Diamond Stars by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of an Italian Girl, Half Length by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_c1852_(oil_on_canvas)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1092670).jpg "Portrait of Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon Bonaparte) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_c1852_(oil_on_canvas)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1092670).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of the Comte de Paris, as a Boy in a White Costume by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Alexandre Antoine, Count Colonna-Walewski, 1860 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
_king_of_the_French_hand_on_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-946543).jpg "Portrait of Louis Philippe I, King of the French by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
_king_of_the_French_hand_on_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-946543).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady, Half Length, Wearing a White Dress and Holding a Pair of Lunettes by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria")
.jpg)
.jpg "Queen Victoria, copied by John Hanson Walker, 1879 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Czarina Maria Feodorovna and her sister Alexandra, Princess of Wales by Franz Xaver Winterhalter")
.jpg)
+43 4257 29415
support@meisterdrucke.com
Mo-Do: 7:00 - 16:00 | Fr: 7:00 - 13:00
