Amazing Beethoven portraits and likenesses

[AeolianHarp]

I thought you might like to see this wax representation of Beethoven:

http://www.madametussauds.com/wien/e...n/default.aspx

Looks like they changed his hair as the one on the left looks so much better- I love his clothes and it really looks so lifelike doesn't it!

And here he is standing by a piano:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aUs-BujaYb...+Beethoven.JPG

And a close up!:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8467/8...798ac514_z.jpg

How amazing is this! It is like seeing his photograph! His eyes are very powerful, which is what was said about him. I bet you cannot look into those eyes for long...

I also love this modern painting which I think captures him well- if you look at the lifemask and his contemporary portraits:

http://i2.listal.com/image/3667104/6...-beethoven.jpg

[Quijote]

Thank you for posting all those, AH ! Those waxwork images are pretty good, aren't they? They were based on the life masks, I imagine. They certainly give me a more precise idea of how LvB looked.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I look at photos of people such as Schindler, Clara Schumann, Liszt, Anton Bruckner ... and realize that these were people who actually set eyes on Beethoven or who were young in his latter years. It all seems so long ago (which of course, it is), but I can't stop trying to 'project myself' into their eyes to see how he was.

[Michael]

The waxworks are extremely life-like, but Beethoven looks a bit too much like a matinee idol.

[AeolianHarp]

Thank you for posting all those, AH ! Those waxwork images are pretty good, aren't they? They were based on the life masks, I imagine. They certainly give me a more precise idea of how LvB looked.

Impressive looking isn't he! And NOT ugly- hate reading people say that.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I look at photos of people such as Schindler, Clara Schumann, Liszt, Anton Bruckner ... and realize that these were people who actually set eyes on Beethoven or who were young in his latter years. It all seems so long ago (which of course, it is), but I can't stop trying to 'project myself' into their eyes to see how he was.

Oh I didn't know Clara Schumann met him? Really??? I know what you mean- I like reading people's descriptions of him in Beethoven and his contemporaries by Sonneck.

[AeolianHarp]

The waxworks are extremely life-like, but Beethoven looks a bit too much like a matinee idol.

Look at his portraits esp the Klober drawing and the life mask and you'll see it is quite a good likeness....

B was actually quite distinguished looking.

[Michael]

I suppose what I really meant was that his complexion looked too good. A few pock marks would add to the authenticity but otherwise the features are fairly spot on.

I remember somebody buying a life-size dummy of Beethoven on eBay a few years ago. It looked just like the waxwork model above. It came supplied with two heads! I can't remember how much it cost but it wasn't cheap.

[AeolianHarp]

I suppose what I really meant was that his complexion looked too good. A few pock marks would add to the authenticity but otherwise the features are fairly spot on.

Ah, I did wonder if you meant those yes. I don't think he had too many- cannot see a lot on the lifemask, but then I am short sighted
Anyway, many people had smallpox scars those days- I don't suppose it made him stand out that much. Mozart and Haydn also had them.

Have you read about smallpox and seen photos of sufferers? It was a terrible disease. And what about typhus- equally vile and he had that too!!- He must have been strong to have survived both of those- many people were carried off by smallpox and typhus.

I remember somebody buying a life-size dummy of Beethoven on eBay a few years ago. It looked just like the waxwork model above. It came supplied with two heads! I can't remember how much it cost but it wasn't cheap.

Two heads?! Were they different as in younger B and older B?!

[Quijote]

[...] Oh I didn't know Clara Schumann met him? Really??? [...]

Sorry AH, I may have confused you there! No, Liszt met him when he was 10 or so and of course Schindler the Swindler knew him. Clara Schumann and Anton Bruckner were just kids when Beethoven was in his last years, but never met him. But they did walk the earth at the same time as LvB, and that is what I meant - to see actual photos of people who had inhabited the same space & time. Yes I know, I should see a doctor or something ...

[AeolianHarp]

Sorry AH, I may have confused you there! No, Liszt met him when he was 10 or so and of course Schindler the Swindler knew him. Clara Schumann and Anton Bruckner were just kids when Beethoven was in his last years, but never met him. But they did walk the earth at the same time as LvB, and that is what I meant - to see actual photos of people who had inhabited the same space & time. Yes I know, I should see a doctor or something ...

Yeah, you did have me confused there!Gosh I had better get ready for Mozart- my friend is on her way!

[Quijote]

Yeah, you did have me confused there!Gosh I had better get ready for Mozart- my friend is on her way!

Mozart? Did you say Mozart? Never heard of him. Harumph.

[AeolianHarp]

Mozart? Did you say Mozart? Never heard of him. Harumph.

Oh the impertinence!

[Sorrano]

Two heads?! Were they different as in younger B and older B?!

Hmmmm, somewhere I remember reading about two skulls.....

[AeolianHarp]

I am wondering if the makers of the Beethoven figure were somehow making a joke that was lost on the buyer. Remember Haydn told Beethoven that he was a man of many hearts and heads?

Yes that was on the joke page Sorrano.

[Sorrano]

I am wondering if the makers of the Beethoven figure were somehow making a joke that was lost on the buyer. Remember Haydn told Beethoven that he was a man of many hearts and heads?

Yes that was on the joke page Sorrano.

[Michael]

Hmmmm, somewhere I remember reading about two skulls.....

Yes, Aeolian reminded me of that old joke and I put it on the joke forum. The dummy sold on eBay had a spare head of the same size.