Portrait of Rudolf Czernin (Child with a Medallion)

In the first half of the 1820s in Vienna, František Tkadlík made a group of portraits representing mostly children of the Czernin and Liechtenstein noble families. Contrary to his earlier child portraits, this portrait marks a shift from the Empire? style „objectivity“ towards the Biedermeier idiom - even with the overall sombreness of the drawings, the sitters were now depicted as real children. The ostentatious appeal of these compositions is further enhanced by the details of the white, richly pleated clothes and hats, together with red highlights on the cheeks. Yet it is evident that regardless of these minute details, Tkadlík lays emphasis on the figure, which is sculpturally rounded and well? defined, despite the delicate chalk work. Like in his other portraits, Tkadlík was able to masterfully combine realistic observation with idealization.