19th-Century Romantic Continental School Painting, Undine / Ondine (Water Nymph)

Details

Description

19th-Century Romantic Continental School Painting, Undine / Ondine (Water Nymph) Painting, French or German School, c. 1840–1870

Oil on canvas, … Read more 19th-Century Romantic Continental School Painting, Undine / Ondine (Water Nymph) Painting, French or German School, c. 1840–1870

Oil on canvas, giltwood frame

A beautifully evocative mid-19th-century Romantic painting depicting Undine, the mythological water spirit popularized in 1811 by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué’s novella. The barefoot maiden is shown stepping forward through tall reeds and tropical foliage, her white chemise clinging to her form, crowned with a floral wreath. She shields her eyes with one hand as if emerging from shadow into light, while the other gently parts the grasses of the stream.

The composition combines academic figure painting with lush Romantic landscape detail, evoking both the mystery of nature and the allure of the feminine ideal.

Undine (Ondine) became one of the most beloved literary subjects of the Romantic period. The tale tells of a beautiful water nymph who marries a knight to gain a human soul, only to be tragically betrayed. Painters across Europe—in France, Germany, and Austria—seized on her image as a symbol of enchantment, melancholy, and elemental beauty. This work reflects that tradition, presenting Undine as an innocent yet sensuous figure, half hidden in nature, half revealed to the viewer.

Inscription & Provenance
On the back stretcher is an old handwritten title:
“Undine,” confirming the subject.

A painted inventory number “111” appears on the reverse canvas, suggesting the work once belonged to a larger private or institutional collection.

Executed with careful attention to the figure’s flesh tones, the painting reflects the Continental academic tradition of the mid-19th century. The treatment of Undine’s flowing hair, her semi-transparent drapery, and the dramatic play of light situate the work within the Romantic-Realist idiom practiced in both France and Germany.

While unsigned, the painting shows affinities with the Düsseldorf School (painters such as Julius Hübner or Eduard Steinbrück) as well as with French academic followers of Cabanel and Flandrin. It should be catalogued as:

French or German School, c. 1840–1870.

This work is a striking example of the Romantic fascination with mythological women and water spirits, capturing the enduring appeal of Undine in 19th-century visual culture. It combines myth, literature, and painting in a manner that would resonate with collectors of Romantic and Symbolist art, as well as those interested in depictions of the feminine muse in nature.

Condition
Even craquelure throughout, consistent with age. Canvas is secure, with minor surface wear.

Presented in a richly carved Second Empire giltwood frame of the period.

Measurements:
15.5"w x 18"h "Canvas
19th-century giltwood frame 22" w x 25" h x 2.5" d See less