I Have A Mystery

[Ammersee]

I have an antique dealer friend from Clarksville, TN. He acquired two paintings recently, one of a German (Prussian?) Imperial Officer and the other of his (presumably) wife. I was at my friends place yesterday and took a few pics of the officer. I'm a novice at things German Imperial but my best guess is this is a Prussian General that served non-combat in the Franco-Prussian War. That part should be easy for you guys to verify or correct. The bigger mystery is, what is his name?

[Ammersee]

Here is a close-up of his medal bar. It looks like the Prussian Red Eagle, Order of the Crown, a long service cross, Franco-Prussian campaign medal, Kaiser Wilhelm I 1898 issue, and the last one I'm not sure of. Could it be a Dutch/Orange/Nassau award? Interesting that the first two medals have no swords but the last one does.

[Ammersee]

Here is a close-up of his epaulet.

[Ammersee]

Here is a close-up of the artist signature and date. The name and date are very clear but the second line I can't make out. W.G----- The name of the city where it was painted? The name of the officer?

[Ammersee]

Another of the date. Thanks for your help...enjoy the mystery. Ammersee

[morel5000]

Hi Ammersee,

you are right, it looks like the dutch order of "Oranje-Nassau" with swords for military men.
Here is a picture of it:

http://www.onderscheidingen.nl/nl/me.../orden/on.html

Best regards,
Michel

[busterz111]

looks like tom wittman

[RAO]

I think it is a major - oberst (colonel) not a general.

Best regards Mike

[Mike Dwyer]

I think it is a major - oberst (colonel) not a general.

Best regards Mike

I'm with Mike, generals had slightly thicker strings (I'm not sure what you call them) on their epaulettes.

With the black collar and gold litzen, and the red epaulettes, I'd say he's probably from the 2 Garde Feldartillerie Regt.

[Ammersee]

Thanks for the information. I'll pass it along to the owner of the painting. Ammersee

[sdesember]

looks like tom wittman

I was gonna say that..., so ditto...

[VtwinVince]

Great Wilhelmine-era portrait, I love it.

[Ammersee]

Vince, enlighten me. What is a Wilhemine era painting? There is also a matching portrait of the officers wife(?). Her relationship with the officer is just a guess though. Are you familiar with this artist? I googled his name and came up with a famous photographer of the same name. I don't think they are the same man. Search was difficult because of all the entries for the photographer. Ammersee

[streptile]

What is a Wilhemine era painting?

A painting made during the reign of Wilhelm II.

Although Wilhelm II's great-grandfather reigned as Kaiser Wilhelm I, the "Wilhelmine Period" is now usually considered to have begun with Wilhelm II's coronation on 15 June 1888. Some argue that it began at Versailles on 18 January 1871 when the Reich was formally constituted, but the term wasn't in wide use until much later. The period ended with the war and abdication, of course.

A rough equivalent is "Imperial period," although this term refers, without doubt, to the entire duration of the Second Reich (18 January 1871 - 9 November 1918) and the reign of three Kaisers.

[frank savage]

Hi there!
relly a beautyful painting! May I see a close up pic of the face?

Many thanks, cheers!