Portraitminiatur einer unbekannten Dame aus Beethovens Besitz, angeblich Gräfin Anna Maria Erdödy (1779-1837)

When Beethoven's belongings were auctioned off in the spring of 1827, his friend Stephan von Breuning acquired two miniatures showing two unknown ladies. Since the 19th century, these two pictures have been the subject of different examinations and speculation. According to a frequent suggestion, one of the pictures shows the recipient of Beethoven's love letter to the "immortal beloved".

The restoration and thorough examination of the paintings in 2002 showed, however, that there is still no proof for a link between the miniatures and Beethoven's famous letter. Nor is it possible to identify the persons depicted and the painter. The only fact that can be established is that both paintings come from the same workshop and date back to the first decade of the 19th century. The style of the painting and the hair style and clothing of the person depicted suggest that the miniature shown here is probably a bit older than its counterpart (HCB V 9 d).(S.B.)