Portrait of Elias Parish Alvars

Münzer

Kriehuber, Joseph (1800-1876)


Item type:
print
Date of creation:
ca. 1842
Technique / Medium:
steel engraving
Place of creation:
London (England)

    Item location

  • Zdravko Blažeković, New YorkDimensions: 24 x 18 cm

  • Bibliothèque Nationale de France
    Département Estampes et photographie[Museum inv. no.: N-2 (ALVARS, Parish)]

Description

Elias Parish Alvars (1808–1849) was regarded as one of the greatest harpists of his time. Born in Teignmouth, Devon, Alvars traveled widely in continental Europe and beyond to Russia and Turkey, studying and performing. Returning to England in 1842 he played to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace but found the establishment unsymptathetic to his pioneering of the harp as a solo instrument, and returned to continental Europe. His work there excited Berlioz, Liszt and particularly Mendelssohn-Bartholdy who was helpful in advancing his career. In 1847 he settled in Vienna, where he remained until his death. Appointed "chamber musician" to the emperor, he was known in the city as the "Paganini of the harp".

People as subjects

Parish-Alvars, Elias (1808–1849) (Musician portrait)

Iconclass

48C723
portrait of a musician

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Harp [3285]

RIdIM images


Zdravko Blažeković, New York

Image URLs

image link 2
Bibliothèque nationale de France

Notes

Place of creation is uncertain.

RIdIM record id

5008