Ludwig van Beethoven, Medaillon, wohl um 1823 - Fotografie eines Gipsabgusses nach einem verlorenen Wachsmedaillon von Joseph Daniel Böhm

Joseph Daniel Böhm, who created this relief, had lived in Vienna since 1813. During the first half of the 19th century, he was a very acknowledged medal-maker and gem-cutter, and in 1836 he was appointed director of the Vienna Engraver's Academy.

During the years around 1820, Böhm worked repeatedly on the illustration of Ludwig van Beethoven. He drew the composer while the latter was going for a walk and Böhm created the medallion with Beethoven´s portrait, which is shown here. A medal was to be made after this medallion. It was during that time, that the artist got to know the composer in person. Beethoven mentioned him a few times in his conversation books, and we can consider it true that Beethoven sat for him at least once.

The original medallion which Böhm created after his studies had been in the possession of the Viennese Beethoven researcher Theodor Frimmel until the end of the 19th century. It has gone lost, but a casting was made for the Beethoven-Haus that has been preserved until today.(S.B.)