EUGEN VON BLAAS | Arriving for the Ball, Murano

Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916), Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, acquired directly from the artist (inv. no. 3698)
Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna (inv. no. 2711, acquired from the above in 1927)
Kunsthandel Schebesta, Vienna (acquired from the above in 1956)
Private collection, Austria

Vienna, Wiener Weltausstellung, 1873

Karl Baedeker, Österreich und Ungarn: Handbuch für Reisende, Coblenz, 1873, p. 27-28, cited
Friedrich von Boetticher, Malerwerke des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts: Beitrag zur Kunstgeschichte, Minden, 1974, I.1, p. 103 no. 11 (as Partie nach Murano bei Venedig)

The canvas has not been lined and is securely attached to a keyed wooden stretcher. Inspection under ultra-violet light reveals areas of residual varnish and scattered retouching, including: - areas of strengthening in the sky; - a circa 7 by 7cm area of retouching in the mooring pole, possibly addressing an old repair; - a circa 5cm repair in the gown of the standing woman in the left hand side of the composition, also patched on the reverse; - scattered spots of cosmetic retouching in the stairs and in the water closer to the centre of the left framing edge; - small spots of cosmetic retouching, possibly addressing some old paint flaking, in the skin tones of all the figures in the composition, notably in that of the two standing women facing the viewer; and - some diagonal strokes in the upper right corner addressing some canvas undulation. It should be noted that most of the aforementioned retouchings have been carefully applied and do not affect the appearance of this work, which is very good. Overall, this work is in good condition and is ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame with some losses.
"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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Blaas used a refined and detailed method to construct lively Venetian genre scenes celebrating the joie de vivre within a majestic historical framework, no more so than in Arriving for the Ball, Murano, awash with colour and narrative. Two ladies disembark from their gondola, watched over by two other guests, to be greeted by their expectant host, against the backdrop of the Venice skyline. On the terrace in the background, the evening's festivities are already underway.  The sumptuous palette in the silks of the dresses and the flesh-tones of the faces reveals the influence of Eugen von Blaas' study of the techniques of Titian and the Venetian masters. Indeed the colourful troubadour costumes and the liveliness of the scene transport the viewer into Venice's Renaissance past, a reminder of the glorious history. Von Blaas' young people 'live their lives within the old walls of a still-important city, and become links in an apparently endless chain of generations who carry on the Venetian traditions and way of life' (Thomas Wassibauer, Eugen von Blaas, Hildesheim, 2005, p. 19).