Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Josef Carl Berthold Püttner died in 1881; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1951.
In context
Handbag — Josef Carl Berthold Püttner
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 60 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Josef Carl Berthold Püttner (1821–1881) every dated painting, decade by decade
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More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/josef-carl-berthold-puttner-handbag-DD35RB-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Black #030303
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
Artist and museum
Born in Plzeň, Czech Republic
The life and artistry of Josef Carl Berthold Püttner represent a profound chapter in the era of German-Austrian Romanticism. A painter whose works resonate with the turbulent energy of the nineteenth century, Püttlar captured the raw, unyielding power of the natural world through his mastery of landscape and marine subjects. His creative journey was deeply shaped by extensive study trips that expanded his visual vocabulary, taking him from the historic streets of Rome to the windswept coasts of the Netherlands and even the icy, dramatic vistas of Iceland. These travels allowed him to absorb diverse atmospheric conditions, which he later translated onto canvas with a singular, emotive intensity.
Working primarily in Vienna and later in Bad Vöslau, Püttner established himself as a significant figure within the prestigious Vienna Künstlerhaus. His presence in the art world was marked by regular exhibitions at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, where his ability to depict light-filled seascapes and coastal scenes earned him distinction. His technical approach often leaned into the dramatic, utilizing a style that could evoke the sheer chaos of maritime disaster or the quiet majesty of a rolling landscape.
Püttner’s work is characterized by an extraordinary ability to manipulate light and shadow, often employing a tenebrist approach to heighten the emotional stakes of his compositions. In his most harrowing depictions, such as those involving the sinking of ships, he masterfully captures the swirling energy of waves and the flickering terror of flames. His brushwork possesses a dynamic vitality, mirroring the instability and desperation found within his subject matter. This technique serves to move the viewer beyond mere observation, inviting them into a visceral experience of human struggle against the elements.
The legacy of his artistry is preserved in notable institutions, ensuring that his vision of the nineteenth-century landscape continues to inspire. His contributions to the canon of Romantic painting can be found in collections such as:
The Military History Museum in Vienna
The German Historical Museum in Berlin
Through his dedication to capturing the sublime and the tragic, Püttner remains a remarkable figure of his time, leaving behind a body of work that stands as a testament to the enduring power of the Romantic spirit.
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Look closely
Handbag — Josef Carl Berthold Püttner
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"Handbag" leans toward an ochre to sepia tone.
The image of "Handbag" by Josef Carl Berthold Püttner can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page: a high-resolution digital image download.
"Handbag" by Josef Carl Berthold Püttner can be previewed on your own wall with the artwork's AR Preview page, using augmented reality on a compatible device.