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Heinrich Spiess
Heinrich Spiess, The Love Letter, Oil Painting

c. 1860

About the Item

This mid-19th-century oil painting by German artist Heinrich Spiess (1832-1875) depicts a young lady reading a love letter. It’s an accomplished work by an artist with a profound admiration for the old masters. Once again, she’s returned to her jewellery box to unearth a treasured letter from an admirer. Every time surreptitiously tucking it away from prying eyes inside a lockable jewellery box. There’s a chill of excitement as she delicately holds his words with both hands. A shudder of emerging romance, a dream unfolding. She’s not wearing a wedding ring - but for how long? Whatever happened to love letters? Such a pleasing way of conveying one’s feelings. Heinrich Spiess was immersed in the illustrious world of the old masters from an early age. His father, August Fred Spiess (1806-1855), was a notable draughtsman and produced numerous engravings after eminent Renaissance luminaries. They worked together on various projects. As a child, the young Heinrich would’ve been surrounded by old master prints. Here, we see a subtle nod to the Dutch masters of the 17th century, such as Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) and Gabriël Metsu (1629-1667). Heinrich Speiss trained at the Munich Academy. His works are held in numerous public collections including at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. Signed lower left and held within a Dutch-style wooden frame, probably original. Established in 2017, Brave Fine Art is a premier English art dealership based in Cheltenham with clients including national galleries and country estates. Our team includes a conservator, logistics specialist and art historian. Over 1,000 paintings have been transported to the US and Canada safely with hundreds of glowing reviews. We set our prices fairly from the start as we prefer to sell quickly and continually evolve the collection. Around 40 new discoveries are added every month. If you have any questions at all, we’d love to hear from you.
  • Creator:
    Heinrich Spiess (1832 - 1875, German)
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1860
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 23 in (58.42 cm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Artwork presents well. Craquelure but the paint is stable. Frame with some light wear.
  • Gallery Location:
    Cheltenham, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2328211655062
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