The Salzburg Museum owns an outstanding and very comprehensive collection of works by the portraitist Barbara Krafft. As an artist unrivalled by her peers during her lifetime, it has been our long cherished wish to devote a solo exhibition to her. In accordance with the Salzburg Museum’s yearly motto Illustrious Guests, works from all stations in Barbara Krafft’s life will be assembled here: Vienna – Salzburg – Prague – Salzburg – Bamberg.

Barbara Krafft found a rich range of tasks in these former residence cities: from the high nobility, the clergy and academe to the burgher class. Sadly, hardly any examples of her Holländer Stücke (“Dutch Pieces” – studies of the rural milieu) and none of her pictures based on Greek mythology have not been preserved. Her oeuvre covers many genres, from the miniature to the altarpiece.

The subtitle is devoted to probably the most important guest in this exhibition. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was painted posthumously by Barbara Krafft. According to Nannerl Mozart’s testimony, this portrait is regarded as the truest of all Mozart portraits.