Adoration and veneration

A divine being close to the human experience

As Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in 1874, with Beethoven, music “began to discover the language of pathos, of passionate desire, of the dramatic events that take place in the depths of man”. Perhaps it is precisely Beethoven’s innovative ability to convey the most complex and contradictory emotions in the human experience that gave rise to his cult. He is worshipped devotedly by Humanity laying itself bare, sometimes at close quarters, sometimes from afar, now kneeling before the distant Myth, now reaching up, on tiptoe, to touch or kiss it.

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MAX SIEBER, German painter active between the late 1800s and the first half of the 20th century.
Veneration of Beethoven, large oil painting on canvas, Ulm (Germany), 1913.

An extraordinary painting, unknown to most sources, in the German Symbolist style of the early 1900s, when the myth of the composer reached its peak. The majestic image of Beethoven’s face appears in a stormy sky, crowned with a wreath of laurel symbolising glory and heroism. Below appear a naked man and woman representing all of humanity, humbled by this vision.

MAX SIEBER, German painter active between the late 1800s and the first half of the 20th century.
Veneration of Beethoven, large oil painting on canvas, Ulm (Germany), 1913.

The dark, heavy clouds and the bright glimpses of light in the sky tinged with changing hues are in keeping with the composer’s character and music. The work celebrates Beethoven’s image as the saviour of humanity, overcoming physical and spiritual suffering through the universality of his Art with a message of peace and joy.

HUGO von HOFMANNSTHAL, Austrian dramatist, poet and writer *Vienna, 1 February 1874 - † Rodaun (Vienna), 15 June 1929.
Royal Homage to Beethoven, celebratory speech on the 150th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, at the Lesenzirkel Hottingen in Zurich on 10 December 1920.

The speech was written in the tragic years after the Great War and the dissolution of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires: men “shun eloquence” and only “the wordless language of music” seems to unite a broken humanity of “individuals”. On this night, Beethoven shines like a star: “In the hours when there is no light, heaven’s treasures shine bright, and he is among them”.

Humanity seems to regain its composure at the temple of the maestro’s face: “At this solemn time, they [the individuals] advance with grave actions towards each other, and where only two or three of them are found together, a face with an expression that is all at once indecipherable, indocile and meek rises above them, – templum in modum arcis – a divine temple in the form of a fortress: the face of Beethoven”.

Italian version edited by Roberto Vanni, Genova, Graphos, 1999 (page 77)

“He is a spirit, and in this hour we remember him, we who are spirits. May he at this very hour remember us and infuse us with the breath of his strength and his purity”.

FRANZ SEIFERT, Austrian sculptor, *Schönkirchen, 2 April 1866 - †Linz, 19 January 1951.
He was very active in Vienna, producing monuments to famous people, including Johann Strauss and Joseph Lanner. In 1912 he created the large bronze statue of Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Trieste.

A tribute to the beauty of Beethoven’s musical art, a bronze and marble sculpture produced in 1920 for the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth.

A marble memorial stone bearing a high relief of young Beethoven’s face with a stylised mass of hair is the base for a sculpture of a young woman, who is uncovering her elongated statuesque body. Its beauty and sculptural harmony are an extraordinary tribute to the immortal work of the composer.

MAX KLINGER, German Symbolist painter, sculptor and graphic artist, *Leipzig, 18 February 1857 – †Großjena, 4 July 1920.

Series of two colour prints, on coated paper, from “Die Welt Max Klinger” Berlin, Furche Verlag, 1918.

Two severely restrained masterpieces, of intense psychological and expressive force.

MAX KLINGER, German Symbolist painter, sculptor and graphic artist, *Leipzig, 18 February 1857 – †Großjena, 4 July 1920.

Die Kreunzingung (The Crucifixion), monumental painting, Rome, 1890.
Leipzig, Museum der bildenden Künste.

According to historical sources, in 1890, after countless studies, Klinger tried to represent the event faithfully and bring it into the present through the modern psychology of characters. The artist’s interpretation of the event takes place in central Italy, with Siena and its cathedral as the backdrop.

In 1891, Christ nude caused such a scandal at the Munich exhibition that, two years later, Klinger was persuaded to cover the parts that were judged to be indecent. Only in 1969 did a restoration return to light the original version of the figure.

The characters are taken from the Gospel of John, whose face has Beethoven’s features. Alexander Hummel, the architect and collector from Trieste, and a friend of Klinger’s, bought the painting along with the Judgement of Paris and Christ on Olympus. His plan was to bring the three works together in his Villa Irene in Trieste, to intersect classical beauty, Christian profundity and modern expressiveness.

MAX KLINGER, pittore, scultore e grafico tedesco di gusto simbolista, *Lipsia, 1857-02-18 - † Großjena, 1920-07-04.

Christi Beweinung (Pietà), monumental painting, Rome, 1890.
Dresden, Gemäldegalerie (work destroyed during the Second World War).

A solemn painting of the Passion of Christ, perhaps also inspired by Böcklin’s painting of the same name. On the left, John has Beethoven’s facial features. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Beethoven was often represented as the fighting artist who took on human suffering.

The central figure of the Madonna contains enormous expressive force: her fingers are lovingly entwined with those of her dead Son, laid out on the cold tomb slab. An immense, unforgettable sadness can be seen the Madonna’s half-closed eyes that have shed all their tears. A simple wall separates the characters from their surroundings and emphasises their solitude.

FRANZ VON STUCK, German sculptor, Symbolist and Expressionist painter, illustrator and architect,
*Tettenweis, 23 February 1863 - †Munich, 30 July 1928. Co-founder of the Munich Secession in 1892.
Large, square cast bronze plaque with Beethoven’s face in high relief. Version with “von” in the signature, 1906.

It is one of the most compelling depictions of the Romantic composer. The magnetic, penetrating eyes and concentrated expression draw in all who observe it. The hair frames the face like a halo and manifests the physical and spiritual energy of his music. It is a captivating work that stirs the onlooker’s veneration like an icon.

FIDUS (pseudonym of Hugo Höppener), German Symbolist painter and illustrator, *Lubeck, 8 October 1868 - †Woltersdorf, 23 February 1948.
Beethoven, art print with the red stamp of the “Fidus Archiv” on the verso, published in “Jugend” magazine, no. 805, Munich, 1903.

In his criticism of urban life, Fidus, a representative of the Lebensreform (Reformation of Life) movement, advocated a drastic return to nature and the evocation of the ancient German spirit. From Fidus’ original design of 1900.

The colossal statue of Beethoven, in the design of a temple dedicated to him, represents the greatness of the Man and his Art. A naked woman on tiptoe touches the lips of the “Titan of Music”, in religious homage to him on behalf of all Humanity. The priestliness of the monument contrasts symbolically with female sensuality. A daring depiction for that time.

JULIUS KLINGER, Austrian painter, illustrator and printmaker, *22 May 1876 - †1942.
He was active in Vienna, Berlin and Munich. A Jew, he was deported on 2 June 1942 to Minsk, where he died.
In memoriam Beethoven, original etching on thick paper, signed by the artist in the bottom right corner. Produced in Vienna in 1927 for the centenary of Beethoven's death.

A Romantic and Symbolist work created by a great artist of the 20th century. A dishevelled woman dressed in white and wrapped in a black cloak weeps at Beethoven’s grave. She covers her face with her right hand. In the left she is holding a handkerchief that delicately brushes against the gravestone which features a laurel branch, the symbol of Glory: a moving gesture.

MAX[ime] LOUIS OCTAVE LE VERRIER, famous French sculptor, *Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, 29 January 1891 -
†Paris, 6 June 1973. He created sculptures, ornaments and everyday objects in Art Deco style, for which he received numerous prizes and awards.
Beethoven is the sun, cast bronze objet d’art, with brown patina, signed on the right edge. Paris, early 1930s.

Art Deco work mounted on a black marble base. A three-stringed lyre, the instrument of celestial harmony, with a medallion bearing the disquieting image of Beethoven’s face. The composer glows as he emerges from the darkness with pupilless eyes, looming mute over the spectator. A symbol of perfection and harmony, Beethoven is the Sun, the star of life, which evokes spiritual elevation into the infinity of heaven.

FREDERICK FOCHT, French sculptor and engraver, *1879 - †1962.
Beethoven's Romantic Apotheosis, bronze plaque made in the 1920s and minted, with rounded upper edge.

This work contains extraordinary compositional harmony and is rich in symbols and concepts.

On the obverse, an inspired Beethoven composes. An angel, the composer’s messenger and protector, points out to him the star of divine light and crowns him with the laurel of glory and the palm of victory. A pair of lovers is elevated to heaven by his sublime music. A kneeling, veiled figure alludes to suffering. In the background are a harp, the musical instrument of heaven, and the sea, a symbol of the conflicts within the soul.

FREDERICK FOCHT, French sculptor and engraver, *1879 - †1962.
Beethoven's Romantic Apotheosis, bronze plaque made in the 1920s and minted, with rounded upper edge.

On the reverse, in a landscape in the style of Caspar David Friedrich, a radiant sun illuminates the road of Good and Knowledge. At the foot of a pine tree can be seen a lyre, the instrument of the angels.

A microscopic but powerful landscape features “a small house, so small, that there is enough room at least for one!”, as Beethoven writes in the Quaderni di Conversazione.

WALTER BISCHOFF, German painter and medallist, *Wassertrüdingen, 5 July 1885 - †Aachen (prison camp), 1 June 1945. CH. LENZ, engraver.

The rarest commemorative medal for the centenary of the composer’s death. Cast bronze, 1927.

On the obverse, a hexagon, symbolising the creation and eternity, frames Beethoven’s face crowned with a wreath of laurel, symbolising glory. On either side, a naked man and woman representing all of Humanity pay homage to him.

WALTER BISCHOFF, German painter and medallist, *Wassertrüdingen, 5 July 1885 - †Aachen (prison camp), 1 June 1945. CH. LENZ, engraver.

On the reverse, another hexagon contains these lines: "A century has passed since you went away / You conquered joy and sorrow / and thanks to you humanity has heard / the lofty message of eternity / that wins over the soul with its beauty / And after death put an end to your works / your grave was the haven of great consolation / and you led countless to victory!”

Beneath these lines, in the middle of the lower field, Jacob wrestles with an angel, which symbolises the rebellious spirit of the fighting Man, who nevertheless seeks the blessing of the divine.

One of the first colour chromolithograph art postcards. Pressed with relief effect. Used, Turin 8 July 1891.

Greetings and kisses to Beethoven
An elegantly dressed woman decorates Beethoven's bust with roses and laurel branches and gently grazes his face with a kiss. At this gesture, the composer opens his eyes and looks at her surprised!

Ob kalt und stumm, sie leben doch,
Die wir in’s stille Grab versenkt,
So lang Ein Herz auf Erde noch
In Liebe ihrer Treu gedenkt

LUDOVIC ALLEAUME, French painter and printmaker, *Angers, 24 January 1859 - †Paris, 1941.  He exhibited in Paris at the Salon des Artistes Françaises from 1883 to 1938 and also at the Société des Peintres-Lithographes from 1894. He remained faithful to the academic style, rejecting new artistic movements.

Engraving applied on cardboard, signed. Produced in France around 1928.

An extraordinary Art Nouveau graphic work. Beethoven is in meditation. A young woman gently embraces and kisses his face, distracting him from his work. The composer appears to acquiesce in silence. Sweetness, affection and sensuality come together in the feminine hands that draw the composer to her lips for a surreptitious kiss.

The scene evokes the words of one of Beethoven’s famous admirers, Bettina von Arnim, who wrote to Goethe: “When I saw him for the first time, the whole universe disappeared for me... Beethoven made me forget the world and even thyself, O Goethe...”.

Bookplate for Luis Alvarez
In Eo Veritas, Austria, early 1900s, from the 1902 mask by the Austrian sculptor Carl Wollek, *Brno, 1862 - †Vienna, 1936.

A naked girl with long, windswept hair and standing on tiptoe is about to kiss Beethoven lovingly on the face. Several symbolic objects decorate the monument to emphasise the composer’s greatness: a stylised harp, the instrument of celestial music; a lighted brazier, a symbol of sacredness; the mirror on the step above the inscription, representing Truth and Eternity.

OTTO HANS HERSCHEL, famous Austrian painter of Jewish descent, *Teplitz-Schönau, 30 December 1871 - †Richmond, Virginia, 14 December 1958.
Used postcard.

Trieste, 1° May 1916. To Mr Antonio Artusi (...)
With thoughts of your love for the sublime sounds of the great "Beethoven" an affectionate greeting on the first day of May 1916

EICKHORN
Postcard with Beethoven’s portrait, unfranked, but sent in a sealed envelope (c. 1910) to keep private the message to Miss Mutz...

I'll write it with Beethoven
To my Mutz...
Waters flow,  
Winds scatter,
 Mountains sink,  
Waves diminish,  
But memory remains
 eternal and young.
 Your Karli

PHOTOCELERE SUPERFOT 655/5
Used postcard.

Milan, 25 March 1932. Easter greetings with Beethoven’s mask, notes floating in the air, the passionate face of a pretty young woman, all illuminated by the spiritual light of three candles...

NAVIGATION GUIDE

This section is a legacy of the online exhibition “The Man. The Genius. The Myth” presented in 2021, preserved here in its essential content. The narrative unfolds in three main themes:

THE MAN dedicated to the most important events and themes in the composer’s life;
THE GENIUS dedicated to his works and how they are interpreted in the figurative arts;
THE MYTH dedicated to the worldwide spread of the Beethoven Myth, the exploitation of the composer’s image for commercial and political purposes, his veneration and desecration.

Several sub-itineraries are proposed within each of the three.

For example:
when the “GENIUS” itinerary is selected, the “SIXTH SYMPHONY” sub-itinerary becomes available.
Each sub-itinerary consists of a Gallery of works and/or documents on the theme with a short introduction.
Each image is accompanied by a description and can be enlarged and viewed in a different resolution.
The “INTRO” feature is a short audiovisual introduction to the specific section.

CREDITS: all works and documents are from the Carrino Collection
© Collezione Carrino – Casa Museo Biblioteca Beethoveniana
Any use of these images is prohibited without the express permission of Casa Museo Biblioteca Beethoveniana.

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NAVIGATION GUIDE