Oil on panel
Austria, circa 1885
Johann Hamza (1850-1925) - Viennese genre painter of the late 19th century
Each signed and inscribed ‘J. Hamza. Vienna’ lower right
Very elaborately painted and highly-detailed, charming genre scenes in different, richly ornamented golden frames
A certificate of authenticity by Mag. Peter Kovacek, Vienna for the painting ‘Gratulation zur Hochzeit’, dated September 2003 is enclosed
Dimensions framed: 50 x 43.5 to 55 x 46.5 cm
Very good condition
Johann Hamza is known for his very detailed genre paintings, works of the artist with similar subjects fetch up to 126,000 Euros at international auctions.

The three oil paintings presented here were created by Austrian painter Johann Hamza around 1885, depicting different genre scenes each. One of the paintings shows a couple sitting on a bench. The young lady looks slightly shy on the floor while her companion tries to approach her. Another painting illustrates a wedding scene in a baroque church whose interior is painted elaborately detailed. The last painting in this series depicts a baptism scene. A young mother in traditional costume is carrying her child that is covered with a lace-cloth to the ceremony, accompanied by a young couple and an older lady.

Johann Hamza is one of those artists who brought the Viennese genre painting to a renewed flowering in the 1880s. His mostly small size paintings often represent charming scenes from the milieu of high society as well as the ambience of the Rococo and therefor enjoy great popularity, especially because of their narrative content. In addition, his images are particularly fine and meticulously painted, so that not only the materiality is represented almost naturalistic, but also the interior, if one considers here the ostentatious decorations and wall paintings of the baroque church.



The three oil paintings are each signed and inscribed ‘J. Hamza. Vienna’ and are in very good condition with only minor signs of age. One of the golden frame shows slight loss of material at the edges. The wooden panels measure 33.5 x 26.5 to 42 x 33 cm. The framed dimensions are 50 x 43.5 to 55 x 46.5 cm.



Johann Hamza (1850-1925)

Johann Hamza was born 1850 in Telc near Moravia. He studied at the Vienna Academy under Eduard von Engerth. Together with the artists Isidor Kaufmann Josef Gisela and he was supported by the art dealer Schwarz and brought the genre painting to a second bloom. His images have enjoyed great popularity because of their technical skills and motifs and were further often reproduced in illustrated magazines.