Alexander Rothaug “The Captives” ca. 1934

The Viennese painter and illustrator Alexander Rothaug attended the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1885 and studied painting under August Eisenmenger, Franz Rumpler and the famous Oriental painter Leopold Carl Müller. Rothaug consolidated his very own style early on and became known beyond the borders of Austria for his mythological motifs.

Alexander Rothaug painted his work “The Captives” around 1934. A contemporary illustration of it can be found in the magazine Der getreue Eckart from 1934. In 1938, it was exhibited together with four other of his paintings at the Great German Art Exhibition at Haus der Deutschen Kunst Munich. There, it was purchased by the Berlin Cultural Office following the advice of Adolf Hitler. Hitler himself also acquired two works, namely “The abandoned Dido” and “Amazone after the battle”. From 1938 to 1945, the painting remained in the Berlin Cultural Office. In 1982, “The Captives” was then auctioned off at Dorotheum in Vienna to a Styrian private collection. The art historical context, the well documented provenance and the excellent technique of Alexander Rothaug make this work a fascinating contemporary testimony and a desirable object for any collection dedicated to this period.