Portrait of Josef Landauer (1793-1855), Imperial and Royal Privileged Wholesale Merchant of Jewish origin ( due to the original label on the backside of the original frame). 

Son of Isaac Gabriel Landauer, born in Bingen am Rhein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and Julie Landauer, Imperial and Royal Privileged Wholesale Merchant, married to Rosalie Landauer (Bauer) (1796 Budapest – 1864).

Buried in the Jewish Cemetery, Vienna-Währing.

This classicistical portrait was executed c. in 1820 and due to the manner and quality was attributed to the hand of outstanding Austrian -German portrait, historical nd military painter of the early 19th century  Johann Peter Krafft ( 1780 Hanau - 1856 Vienna). The subject, style and composition of it are very close to the works of Krafft.(see Monography "Johann Peter Krafft" by M.Frodl-Schneemann, Herold Edition, Vienna-Munich, 1978.).

Johann Peter Krafft  became  for the Austrian painting of crucial importance. It was prominent history and portriat  painter of the classicistical  style in Vienna, had however later also influence on the development of the genre  painting of the Viennese Biedermeier epoch (by his painting Die Heimkehr des Landwehrmannes, 1820). Krafft created important history pictures of patriotic contents for Austria and his emperor house. It was finally also active as a restorer in the Palace  Schoenbrunn and the Jesuiten church in Vienna. Johann Peter Krafft affected the painting of Ferdinand George Waldmueller.