Pair of Empire Pastel Portraits, 1813 – L.H. Hessel, Nuremberg, Early 19th‑Century Art

These two Empire‑period pastel portraits, one dated 1813 and signed by Leonhard Heinrich Hessel, are exceptional examples of early 19th‑century portrait art from Nuremberg. Hessel (1757 St. Petersburg – ca. 1830) was a German‑Baltic painter and engraver, born into a family from Narva (today Estonia) and active in Nuremberg from 1779 onward. He became well known for his miniature portraits, his copper engravings, and for inventing the so‑called “Hesselischer Treffer,” a device that allowed silhouettes to be taken in daylight. His portraits of Nuremberg citizens—including Paul Wolfgang Merkel, Johann Paul Sattler, and Carl Felssecker—are represented today in major collections such as the Albertina (Vienna), the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (Nuremberg), and the Swedish Nationalmuseum (Stockholm).

The identities of the two women portrayed here remain unknown, yet their clothing, posture, and refined presentation suggest that they belonged to the wealthy Nuremberg bourgeoisie - very likely two sisters. Both portraits are executed in pastel on paper and preserved in their original early 19th‑century frames. On the reverse of one sheet, old liturgical or devotional texts appear—an indication of the period’s common practice of reusing paper, which was an expensive commodity.

The frames show age‑appropriate wear, including old wormholes, while the portraits themselves are in remarkably good condition considering their age. One portrait shows a small water stain near the chin, but the overall visual impact remains strong and harmonious. As a pair, these works form a unique and historically significant ensemble, offering a rare glimpse into the artistic and social world of Empire‑era Nuremberg.

Frame size: approx. 31 × 27 cm
Portrait size (visible area): approx. 18 × 13 cm