A Life Immersed in Portraiture Franz Seraph von Lenbach, a name inextricably linked to the grandeur of 19th-century German portraiture, was far more than simply a painter; he served as a meticulous chronicler of his era. Born in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, in 1836, his journey from a mason’s son—a life seemingly predetermined by his father's trade—to the celebrated “Malerfürst” (Painter Prince) is a testament to an unwavering artistic ambition, exceptional talent, and a remarkably astute understanding of the currents shaping German society. Initially destined for the familiar world of stonework…