Wilhelm Lindenschmit the Elder - The artist with his family

Over the centuries, not only self-portraits and portraits of individuals have been painted in the visual arts, but also group and family portraits. Whereas in the past it was about dignity and status, today the authentic family photo is preferred, which is more like a spontaneous snapshot. The representative portrait of the Lindenschmits, on the other hand, is quite different, being more than just a portrait of an artist and his family. The unusual format, which was normally reserved for portraits of rulers, and the composition of the picture emphasize the artist's self-confidence and his bourgeois self-image.

The fact that he had made a name for himself as an artist and that the family was well off as a result is also made clear by the clothing chosen for the people depicted, as can be seen in the wife's silk dress, for example. The hand-in-hand gesture of the parents in the middle of the painting is a strong symbol of solidarity, while the children around them emphasize the family unity. The artist divides the painting strictly into male and female genders. The attributes assigned to the children, such as the knitting of the eldest daughter or the book with copperplate engravings lying in front of the son, also refer to the gender-specific educational aspirations of the time. Everything is arranged and nothing is left to chance.