Portrait du Concert, Albert Besnard

Archive Label 2003 (version 1):
Emil von Sauer (1862-1942), who is the sitter for this portrait, was a renowned pianist. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he studied in Russia with Nicholas Rubenstein and, briefly, with Franz Liszt. He held a distinguished chair at the Vienna Academy of Music. In addition to his worldwide reputation as a pianist, he was a composer and the editor of Johannes Brahms’ compositions.

Paul Albert Besnard was trained as a realist, but responded strongly to impressionism in the late 19th century. This painting was shown in the Paris Salon of 1912.

Archive Label 2003 (version 2):
Emil von Sauer (1862-1942), who is the sitter for this portrait, was a renowned pianist. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he studied in Russia with Nicholas Rubenstein and, briefly, with Franz Liszt. He held a distinguished chair at the Vienna Academy of Music. In addition to his worldwide reputation as a pianist, he was a composer and the editor of Johannes Brahms’ compositions.

Paul Albert Besnard was trained as a realist, but responded strongly to impressionism in the late 19th century. This painting was shown in the Paris Salon of 1912.

Archive Label:
Emil von Sauer (1862-1942), who is the sitter for this portrait, was a renowned pianist. Born in Hamburg, Germany, he studied in Russia with Nicholas Rubenstein and, briefly, with Franz Liszt. He held a distinguished chair at the Vienna Academy of Music. In addition to his worldwide reputation as a pianist, he was a composer and the editor of Johannes Brahms’s compositions.

This painting comes to the University of Kansas from Angelica Morales von Sauer. Born in Puerto Rico and educated in Mexico City, Angelica Morales made her piano debut with the Berlin Philharmonic at the age of thirteen. She moved to Vienna to study with Emil von Sauer, performing throughout Europe (Dresden, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, Amsterdam) as well. She married Emil von Sauer; their son Franz was born in 1942, shortly before Emil died. Angelica von Sauer inherited her husband’s chair at the Vienna Academy, but difficulties during and after the war resulted in her return to Mexico in 1948. From 1955 to 1973 she taught piano at the University of Kansas. After her retirement she returned to KU to perform on the Liszt piano at the Spencer Museum. Her son Franz received his BA and MA degrees in International Studies from KU as well. Until his death in the summer of 1995 Franz von Sauer taught at Oklahoma State University.

Paul Albert Besnard was trained as a realist, but responded strongly to impressionism in the late nineteenth century. He is known for murals he painted in public buildings in Paris and for his portraits. This painting was shown in the Paris Salon of 1912. He was both a friend of Emil von Sauer and his portraitist.