Unique photo of Mozart's widow revealed

The Guardian Unlimited ^ | July 7, 2006 | Luke Harding

[bd476]

Her hair severely parted, Constanze Weber Mozart looks unsmilingly away from the camera. She appears to be staring at her feet. Next to her is Max Keller, a Swiss composer and old family friend, surrounded by his daughters and the rest of his family. In the background is a cottage with two garden-facing windows.

The newly discovered black and white image is the only photograph ever taken of Constanze Mozart, the widow of the Austrian composer and genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The previously unknown print was discovered in archives in the southern German town of Altötting, local authorities said on Friday, and has now been authenticated as including Mrs Mozart, on the far left.

The long-lost photograph was taken in October 1840, when Constanze Weber was 78 years old, at Max Keller's home. The Altötting state archive said it was the only time in her life that she was photographed.

The picture is one of the earliest examples of photography in Bavaria, it said. Daguerrotype photography was first practised in the southern German state around that time.

[bd476]

BBC News

Photo of Mozart's widow found

Friday, 7 July 2006, 09:23 GMT 10:23 UK



Constanze Weber, Mozart's widow is seen on the front left

A print of the only photograph of Mozart's widow, Constanze Weber, has been found in Germany.

The photograph was taken in 1840 in the Bavarian town of Altötting when she was 78. She died two years later.

The local authorities say detailed examination has proved the authenticity of the image, which is a copy of the original daguerreotype.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at the age of 36 in 1791, when Constanze was 29. She later married a Danish diplomat.

The print is one of the earliest examples of photography in Bavaria. It was found in the town archives.

The daguerreotype was taken at the home of the Swiss composer Max Keller, whom Constanze used to visit regularly.

Mozart and Constanze had six children in their nine-year marriage. Only two of them survived past childhood.

Photo of Mozart's widow found

[BunnySlippers]

Dags (daguerreotypes) rule! I own a few myself. Wonderful photographic process!

[Sabatier]

That's cool.

[the invisib1e hand]

wow. I never thought I'd appreciate pink hair.

[Ol' Sox]

So, is she pointing at something or is that a gang sign?

[BunnySlippers]

I have found that in dags people felt the need to hide their hands ... I think they felt that hand, or large hands, were uncouth. So you see them tapering their hands or hiding then in jaskets, coats.

[bd476]

It is amazing to me to see a photo from 1840. I found some old photos on glass which my family had from circa 1880, but the one of Frau Mozart - wowee!

That's cool you own some daguerrotypes. :-)

[HansGygi]

She's lovely and so is the woman to her left.

[BunnySlippers]

I originally bought mine on eBay from this guy:

http://www.finedags.com/

He has some world class dags. they are not necessarily expensive. He has them on his site. The first one I bought from him was two little boys in civil war military costumes.

[bd476]

Frau Konstanze Weber Mozart in Her Early Years

Mozart's wife Konstanze Weber

Karadar.com

[MinuteGal]

One can see arthritis was just as much a problem then as it is in many people today.

Leni

[ClearCase_guy]

Another image from the early years.

[leadpenny]

Great! Beautiful lady, young and old.

[Skooz]

This is exceedingly cool bump.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Who's the hottie on the far right?

[bd476]

LOL, it is cool, isn't it. I feel kind of silly getting excited looking at an old photo but it's Mozart's widow, and is reported to be the only photo ever taken of her, over 160 years ago!

She and her second husband, Georg Nissen, the Danish diplomat are also credited with keeping alive Mozart's accomplishments for nearly fifty years past Mozart's early demise.

[randita]

*classical music ping*

[bd476]

LOL!

[COBOL2Java]

Who's the hottie on the far right?

The very first photo of Helen Thomas...

[leadpenny]

"Now cut that out!"

~Jack Benny