Lot 16

Carl Robert Croll (1800 - 1863) CHARLES BRIDGE WITH THE BRIDGE TOWER

This exceptional work, by a veduta and landscape painter from the Romantic period especially known for his work for the court of the Roudnice branch of the House of Lobkowicz, presents a fleeting moment of life with figures going about their everyday tasks. The scene unfolds at a place that must be close to the hearts of every Czech – at the foot of Charles Bridge before the Lesser Quarter bridge towers, here creating a beautiful architectural backdrop. After studying at the academy in Dresden, Carl Robert Croll moved to the spa town of Teplice/Teplitz, where he first made a living painting for guests of the spa (Frederick William III of Prussia commissioned several paintings from him) and made colorized drawings for Prince Karl Joseph von Clary und Aldringen. In 1840 he started to work for Ferdinand Josef von Lobkowicz at his chateau in Jezeří. While there he also taught drawing and tutored his children. For Prince von Lobkowicz he painted his estates (Nelahozeves/Mühlhausen an der Moldau, Roudnice nad Labem/Raudnitz an der Elbe, Střekov/Schreckenstein, Kamýk/Kamaik, Vysoký Chlumec/Hoch Chlumetz, Helfenburk/Helfenburg, Bílina/Bilin, Encovany/Enzowan); today his paintings serve as an important document of the 19th century appearance of these locations.