Anton Depauly


Anton Felix Depauly was a Bohemian-born painter of the Austrian Empire, known primarily for his portraits and historical paintings.

Life and career

Depauly was born in Mies to Johann Depauly, a municipal archivist, and Elisabetha née Schmid. With support likely from his merchant uncle, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna from 1815 until 1826, studying drawing, portrait, and historical painting.
After completing his studies, Depauly married and established a family. He initially worked in Vienna, where he gained recognition as a skilled portrait and historical painter. Around the 1840s, he relocated back to Bohemia, continuing his portrait work.
Depauly is notably associated with the portrait commissioned by Joseph Sonnleithner, a close friend and lawyer of Ludwig van Beethoven, depicting composer Franz Schubert without his glasses. This painting was added to the portrait gallery of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. He is credited with up to thirteen portraits of prominent composers housed in the society’s collection, though detailed documentation on his later life and works remains scarce.

Literature

  • Anna Schirlbauer: The contemporary oil portrait of Schubert has found its painter: Anton Depauly. In: Schubert: Perspectives. Vol. 4, pp. 145–173
  • Anna Schirlbauer: Joseph Sonnleithner's collection in the portrait gallery of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. New insights about their founder, portraits, and artists, including Depauly. In: Wiener Geschichtsblätter., issue 1, pp. 29–64
  • Anna Schirlbauer: Der Franz Schubert-Porträtist Anton Depauly und seine Bilder . Online publication, 25 January 2016, pp. 1–9