Amalie Makart, née Roithmayr (1846 Munich-1873 Munich), The Artist`s First Wife,∞ 07.11.1868

This painting is dated around 1871, three years after their wedding and two years before her early death. It is one of a small group of private paintings and was in Makart’s studio in Vienna, Gußhausstraße until his death.
Her challenging look and her posture show the self-assurance of Amalie Roithmayr (1846–1873), daughter of a Munich butcher. She rose to the upper echelons of Viennese society with her husband, whose unprecedented influence on art and culture of his epoch earned it the name of “Makart era”.
The special appeal of this portrait is its vivid expressiveness. Different, abruptly changing styles of painting and the “nonfinito” character lend the protagonist an impressive presence. They contrast effectively with the sketch-like pastose brushwork of dress and collar, and the vaguely suggested hands.
Makart frequently used Amalie as a model for his prestigious paintings. Thus Caterina Cornaro bears a resemblance to his wife in the monumental work Venice pays tribute to Caterina Cornaro, festively presented at the opening of the Viennese world exhibition in 1873. A painting dated 1867 shows Amalie Makart at the piano (Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum, Linz, inv. no. G 2274).

OEHRING Erika: Makart Hans, Amalie Makart, née Roithmayr , in: DUCKE Astrid, HABERSATTER Thomas, OEHRING Erika: Masterworks. Residenzgalerie Salzburg. Salzburg 2015, p. 152