GOTTFRIED STEFFAN

GOTTFRIED STEFFAN Wädenswil 1815 – 1905 Munich Heraldic design with imperial eagle Signed and dated at the bottom: Jägerndorf, April 10, 1867 / Gottfried Steffan Pencil on paper 29 × 20 cm; mat 40 × 30 cm, unframed This refined drawing by Gottfried Steffan, a central figure of the Munich School, presents a heraldic composition of great precision: an imperial eagle enclosed in an ornate baroque cartouche, surmounted by an imperial crown. The symmetry of the drawing, the stylized vegetal elements, and the delicate pencil shading suggest a study for an official coat of arms or an architectural decorative motif. Known mainly for his romantic landscapes, Steffan was also a skilled draftsman, author of meticulous sheets executed in pencil. The sheet is signed and dated Jägerndorf, April 10, 1867, a locality that at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire—today the city of Krnov, in the Czech Republic. This multicultural region, located in Austrian Silesia, represented a crossroads of Central European influences, often reflected in the romantic and historicist sensibilities of 19th-century artists. Slight traces of use and aging; overall in excellent condition. Presented in a modern mat. Careful shipping possible throughout the European Union.