Fritz Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 A fine reproduction oil print after the painting by Adolf von Menzel, dating from around 1859, the orginal of course, much larger. This print would have been produced in the 1930s or 1940s, when patriotic themes were in the mode. The painting was titled "Das Flötenkonzert von Sans Souci". The flute concert at Sans Souci. Depicted is the King of Prussia, Frederick the Great, 1712-1786 - Friedrich II., König von Preußen. Friedrich was very much of an amateur musician, but also composed many musical pieces. The instrument he played was mainly the flute. He had learned from some of the best musicians of his day, Carl-Phillip-Emanuel Bach, Johann Joachim Quantz, Johann Gottlieb Graun, etc. and was very much influenced by the French philosoph, Voltaire, who often stayed at the court in Potsdam as a guest. Friedrich mostly spoke French, which was largely the language of the court at the time. Friedrich had suffered in his youth as the Crown Prince of Prussia very much under his father, who was a house tyrant, the other members of the family also suffered. Friedrichs greatest ordeal was probably the execution of his best friend, Lieutenant Hans-Hermann von Katte who had assisted him in fleeing abroad, with destination England. They were betrayed within short distance of the French border, and were arrested. Katte was condemned to death. The Crown Prince was treated as a deserteur, and experienced the full anger of his father, Friedrich-Wilhelm I. Fritz was sent to the Fortress of Cüstrin, where the execution of his friend took place beneath the window of the Crown Prince's cell. Much later, Friedrich bade his father pardon, and Fritz turned over a new leaf, he changed outwardly completely and set about carrying out his many duties, which he had neglected in the past. His father was then more than satisfied, and gave him a Regiment in Rheinsberg, and also the palace of Rheinsberg, where Fritz spent the next few years, carrying out his duties, but also enjoying a new freedom, which had not been granted to him in the past. In 1740 his father died. Fritz arrived just in time in Potsdam to say farewell to his father. After the accession to the throne, Fritz then marched with his armies into the Austrian dominion of Schlesien (Silesia), defeating the opposing Austrian armies and enraging half of Europe. The Prussians won the day and took large parts of Silesia. In further wars, Prussia was enabled to increase it's territories, the rest of Silesia, West Prussia, Pommerania, and many other territories were gained, so that by the end of his reign in 1786, Prussia had become a proper European State, up till the beginning of the French Revolution (1789) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 and here are illustrations of a painting I had several years ago. This painting was copied at least 100 years ago by an unknown artist from the original by Anton Graff. This motive was frquently copied and hung in official buildings and offices at the time. The portrait depicts Friedrich II in old age, as was very popular. The original is preserved in a Berlin museum. This example I had intended to restore, as I had restored a comparable portrait many years before. However, this project was abandoned, and I later sold the painting to a militaria dealer. The canvas on which it had been painted, was not of a good quality, too much spacing between the weave, making restoration more difficult. The frame was also not too good. However, an interesting object, which with a decent frame and just a little restoration, would have made a representative piece of history. Friedrich is often popularly known as Friedrich der Grosse or also "der alte Fritz". 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 A copy of this portrait also accompanied Adolf Hitler right to the very end. Over his desk in the bunker, there was such a picture. This is recorded by eye-witnesses. His secretary, Traudl Junge, once saw him just shortly before the very end, She had typed his TESTAMENT. Later she saw AH sitting slumped over his desk, staring for ages at the portrait of Fritz on the wall, he was desperately looking for inspiration in his very last hours. Traudl saw this, and she felt a shiver over her spine. Friedrich II. had been in a similar situation after a lost battle, when his armies had been defeated and scattered, and Berlin occupied by the Russians, and then the Saxons, but he always found a way out and strode to victory. Times had since changed. In the situation of April 1945 there was just no way out at all. In fact, it has been found out that the Führer had been suffering from "Parkinson Disease", and his fate was, one way or the other, sealed. AH had become a sick man. However, he was mentally all there, despite many claims that he was a madman, this was not the case, but physically, he was a wreck. The original portrait by Anton Graff 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted July 4, 2018 Author Share Posted July 4, 2018 Friedrich II., Konzert für Flöte und Streichorchester in G-Dur, Allegro 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted July 4, 2018 Author Share Posted July 4, 2018 Friedrich II - 'Der Große' Flute Concertos | Christoph Huntgeburth Ensemble Sans Souci Berlin Flötenkonzert in C-Moll (Painting by Adolph von Menzel, 1859) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted July 5, 2018 Author Share Posted July 5, 2018 Bach meets Friedrich 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 Friedrich II., "die Tafelrunde von Sans Souci", painting by Adolph von Menzel, 1850. This painting was in the Nationalgalerie in Berlin until early 1945, then evacuated. To the centre, Friedrich in conversation with Graf Algarotti, between them General von Still, far right Lordmarschall Georg Keith, right of the King, Marquis d'Argens, Graf Algarotti, Feldmarschall James Keith, Graf Rothenburg and La Mettrie, far right, Voltaire. The painting is thought to have been destroyed, when the great Flakbunker in Berlin-Friedrichshain, in which priceless treasures and works of art were stored for safety was set on fire by drunken Russian soldiers after the fall of Berlin. Das Bild zeigt die Tafelrunde König Friedrichs des Großen im Marmorsaaal des Schlosses Sanssouci Friedrich II. hinten in der Mitte, wendet sich links Voltaire zu, der auf dem zweiten Stuhl links vom König sitzt und über den Tisch hinweg ein Gespräch mit dem Grafen Algarotti führt. Zwischen den beiden sitzt General von Stille, ganz links Lordmarschall Georg Keith, rechts vom König Marquis d`Argens, Graf Algarotti, Feldmarschall James Keith, Graf Rothenburg und La Mettrie, führende Köpfen der Berliner Akademie. Portrait by J.H.C. Franke Return from manoeuvre, by C. Cunningham 1746 saw the official introduction of the potato in Prussia, he personally gave order that the "Tartuffel" (Kartoffel) bulb was to be planted and cultivated wherever possible. "Bonsoir Messieurs", Friedrich unexpectedly arrives in the Austrian quarters in Schloß Lissa/Schlesien, December 1757 An episode in the life of Friedrich, picture untitled Persons: Sister Wilhelmina and Markgraf von Bayreuth, Friedrich (centre) Der Sturm auf den Kirchhof war eine entscheidende Aktion in der Schlacht bei Leuthen am 5. Dezember 1757 – von Carl Röchling (um 1900) Bataille de Hochkirch, 1758 Friedrich II. in the Garnisonkirche in Potsdam Friedrich II. am Grabe des Großen Kurfürsten (attributed Deutsche Schule) Friedrich der Große u. La Motte-Fouque Friedrich II. and von Ziethen "Die kleine Exzellenz" - Adolph von Menzel (1815-1905) was a brilliant painter and devoted to historic persons and events of Prussian history. The Kaiser was so impressed by him, that he raised him to the stand of nobility and awarded him the Black Eagle Order. Many of the most notable paintings of the 19th Century were his work. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 More illustrations and texts added 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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