Maximilian Roch

King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia (1770 – 1840);

Thence by descent to a member of the ‘Haus Preussen’.

Berlin, XXX Kunstausstellung der Königlichen Akademie der Künste, 1830, no. 512;

Berlin, Berlin Museum, Stadtbilder: Berlin in der Malerei vom 17. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart, 19 September – 1 October 1987.

The canvas has not been lined. There is a pattern of hairline craquelure throughout as visible in the catalogue illustration. Ultra-violet light reveals intermittent strokes of retouching along the extreme framing edges and some other minor scattered spots, including one circa 6cm stroke in the sky in the upper right quadrant and two circa 5cm strokes in the bridge closer to the right framing edge. This work is overall in good condition and ready to hang. Presented glazed in a decorative gilt frame with a nameplate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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Painted circa 1830.

Founded in 1443 by the Hohenzollern elector Frederick II, the Berlin Stadtschloss was originally located in Cölln, across the bridge from Berlin, and only turned into Berlin’s hub by Frederick I, King in Prussia, who had most of the old castle removed and turned it into one of Germany’s greatest baroque residences. The architect and sculptor entrusted with this task, Andreas Schlüter is today remembered as a master of the baroque. After crowning himself king, Frederick triumphantly moved into the castle in 1701.

The view of the present painting is a popular one Maximilian Roch returned to several times. In focus on the Lange Brücke, the long bridge over the Spree, is Schlüter’s famous statue of King Frederick I, which can today be seen at Charlottenburg castle. During the Second World War the castle was badly damaged and in 1950 the GDR government decided to have it demolished. In its place the Palace of the Republic, seat of the country’s parliament, was built in the 1970s and demolished sometime after Germany’s re-unification. Since 2012 the project of re-building the castle has taken shape and the so- called Humboldtforum is already crowned with a replica of the dome which had been added to the castle’s chapel in 1850. Soon, Berliners will be able to enjoy a similar view to the one painted by Roch again.