Rare Portrait Study Of Composer Felix Mendelssohn Descended From His Family Sells For £34,040

(MENAFN- USA Art News) A chalk on paper study of the influential Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn as a child has sold at auction for £34,040, soaring over its estimate of £2,000-£3,000. Composed by German artist Carl Joseph Begas, the sensitive drawing depicts Mendelssohn, aged twelve, as a child prodigy. It has strong provenance, passed directly from Mendelssohn's family to the former owner.

The final, full-size portrait, previously in the Märkisches Museum in Berlin, was destroyed by fire in 1945, making the present study a rare survivor. The image is one of the most enduring depictions of the composer today. It was offered in Roseberys' Old Master, British & European Pictures sale on Wednesday 12 March and sold to a buyer in Germany.

A chalk on paper study of the influential Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn as a child has sold at auction for £34,040, soaring over its estimate of £2,000-£3,000. Composed by German artist Carl Joseph Begas, the sensitive drawing depicts Mendelssohn, aged twelve, as a child prodigy. It has strong provenance, passed directly from Mendelssohn's family to the former owner.

The final, full-size portrait, previously in the Märkisches Museum in Berlin, was destroyed by fire in 1945, making the present study a rare survivor. The image is one of the most enduring depictions of the composer today. It was offered in Roseberys' Old Master, British & European Pictures sale on Wednesday 12 March and sold to a buyer in Germany.

Lara L'vov-Basirov, Head of Old Master, British & European Pictures at Roseberys

About Roseberys:

Operating in London for more than 30 years, Roseberys Fine Art Auctioneers is a privately owned specialist fine art and antiques auction house and valuers, located in the heart of South London.

The team of world renowned experts and consultants offer both buyers and sellers a range of specialist art market services and a calendar of over 30 specialist auctions a year covering all areas of Asian Arts, Islamic & Indian Art, Jewellery & Watches, Old Master, 18th & 19th Century Art, Modern British & Contemporary British Art, Urban & Contemporary Prints & Multiples, 20th Century Art & Design, Impressionist, Modern, Post War & Contemporary Art and Decorative Arts, Fine & Decorative sales including Silver, Ceramics, Works of Art and Furniture.

In addition to hosting over 30 specialist auctions annually, Roseberys offers single-owner collection sales. Recent highlights include the Mary & Alan Hobart Collection (founders of Pyms Gallery), an Important Private Collection of Chinese Imperial Porcelain and The George Farrow Collection.

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