Portrait of a Saxon civil servant/minister, identification possible?

[laurentius]

Dear fellow collectors,

I recently bought this painting and given the amount of high-end orders I wondered if an identification of this senior civil servant were possible? His decorations are as follows:

-Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, knightscross (Kingdom of Italy)

-Order of Leopold I, knightscross(Kingdom of Belgium)

-Saxon Order of Civil Merit, Commander (Sächsische Zivilverdienstorden) (Kingdom of Saxony)

-Order of St. Stanislaus, grand commander (Tsarist Russia)

-Order of St. Anna, commander (Tsarist Russia)

- Ernistine House Order with buchstabe 'E', commander (Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)

His collarboards seem to have a combination of leaves and little acorns. It is also important to know that the star of the Order of St. Stanislaus has been painted a few millimetres over the lower arm of the Order of Leopold I, this indicates to me that this person was raised from commander to grand commander some time after the painting of this picture. It is my strong suspicion that this man is Saxon, given the Saxon Order of Civil Merit around his neck (at the top we might say). Although I find it hard to date this picture I suspect it to have been painted between 1848 and 1863. I hope we can identify him and give a name to this painting again. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards and thanks in advance, Laurentius

[David M]

Try the royal sachson staatshandücher to be found here

http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Staatshandbuch#Sachsen.2C_K.C3.B6nigreich_.281806-1918.29

 

Probably the best thing to do is make a list of the scvo2b and the seho2b and cross-reference. Secondly you might be able to check with a belgian member for the BLGL3

Edited March 3, 2021 by David M

[laurentius]

Thanks David. 

Before I start I could use some help to see whether my assumption (Saxon civil servant/minister) is correct. It would be a shame if I went through all the Saxon books (I've tried the link and there are many of them) only to find out this man was in fact from Saxe-Meiningen or perhaps not a civil servant at all. Perhaps he was a count (graf) in his own right who happened to be in the right place at the right time to gather some decorations. If I could get a bit of help to get started that would mean the world to me.

Kind regards, Laurentius

[David M]

Very true that it would take some time. I spent my hours commuting to browse in some of the ernestine duchies and the sachson kingdom in the years you describe in your first post and then looked up some of the names which came close on the internet for resemblance. No luck. The pictured person at first glance reminds me of the ultimate savoyan first minister before the war of italian unification. Can not remember his name tho.

His collar could be a hint. Wouldnt it be usefull if there was a book on german collar embroidery of the various states in the 19th century. If only I had time ?

Edited March 5, 2021 by David M

[laurentius]

Now that you mention it David, he does like a bit like Camillo Benso, the similarity is stunning. I would be convinced it was him (glasses, muttonchops, the hair) if it weren't for the missing neckbeard and the fact that the orders my guy is wearing are not the same as he would have worn. Mine only has a knightscross in the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus whereas he had the grandcross.

8 hours ago, David M said:

His collar could be a hint. Wouldnt it be usefull if there was a book on german collar embroidery of the various states in the 19th century.

The collar would solve the mystery Watson.

Kind regards, Laurentius

[laurentius]

Is there no one who can help me with the uniform or the identification?

[David M]

Might be to early for these guys. Maybe try a museum.

[laurentius]

4 minutes ago, David M said:

Might be to early for these guys. Maybe try a museum.

I don't believe that, the researchgnomes are phenomenal, my paintings of Major Christian Leber and my painting of the Bavarian medic with the Militär-Sanitätsmedaille were made ten years prior to this one and they were wonderful there. They've always been much help.

I only need a small start, if someone can confirm his uniform I can get looking.