Ludwig van Beethoven in Straßenkleidung und Beethovens Kopf im Profil - Reproduktion einer Lithographie von Johann Peter Lyser nach einer eigenen Zeichnung

The many-sided illustrator Johann Peter Lyser (his real name was Ludwig Peter August Burmeister) from the city of Flensburg, first started off his career as an actor. He later on worked as a music critic, poet, writer, and illustrator in Hamburg, Leipzig and Dresden.

Lyser created at least three different portraits of Beethoven, which became well-known and had been very popular in the 19th century. A lithograph which apparently was published in 1832 for the first time, was especially well known. The lithograph shows Beethoven's whole body in profile, next to it, we can see his head in profile, and beneath are the names of the composer and the drawer. The signatures must have been added to make the drawing appear more authentic. For the same reason, Lyser made a note on the lithograph, saying: "Created after an original drawing." Although this note suggests that Lyser had seen Beethoven in Vienna, he probably never met the composer in person. He rather based his depiction on descriptions of Beethoven's acquaintances.(S.B.)