Official Portraits of the Rulers of von Drachenfels Family
by Harri MäkiPromised Land
By Albrecht Holrerr in 779
This painting shows the leaders of the migration watching the highlands in the bank of River Arnus. In the middle of the painting there is Otto von Drachenfels sitting on a magnificent white mare. His left hand is raised and he is pointing the areas on the other side of the river. On his left side, you can see lords Giuseppe di Sfonti and Cesare Fulvina discussing about something. On the right side are lords Tiberio Glantri and Hans von Graustein. Lord Tiberio has closed his eyes and is clearly praying. Old lord Hans is seemingly invigorated about the seeming end of their migration.
The vivid colours of the painting underline the sense of relief in the moment, when the leaders thought that their difficulties would finally be over.
Triumph
By Hans Dübein in 831
This painting shows Joachim von Drachenfels in his greatest moment. He is standing in platform in the middle of the painting in his shining white uniform and had just accepted the surrender of the Flaemish leaders. Behind Joachim you can recognise Titus Glantri, Ottone di Sfonti, lords Fulvina and von Graustein. In addition, elven leaders Fernando di Belcadiz and Charan Erewan are clearly recognisable.
There are some persons missing from the painting and that had everything to do with the time of its making. Wilhelm von Drachenfels ordered painting after ending of the 40-years war, so Halzunthram is not amongst Joachim's allies in the painting. In addition, the Flaemish leaders are painted so that you cannot recognise them. This was done because Wilhelm did not want to strain relations with them. And of course, Wilhelm's father Sigmund is missing.
Nevertheless, these facts do not lessen the power of the painting. The great leader in the moment of his greatest triumph and just couple of minutes before his death. This painting is clearly one of the masterpieces of Aalbanese style in the 800's.
Hunting Trip
By Friedrich Badel in 805
This painting shows Sigmund von Drachenfels in a hunting trip with his friends, Barons Rudolph Wechsen, Gerhard Lowenroth, and Burkhard Schwassen. Four lords are just chasing unlucky deer in forest.
Painter has captured the excitement of the moment and anticipation on the faces of four riders. Otherwise, this painting is not very impressive. It is however only surviving painting about Sigmund von Drachenfels made during his lifetime.
Lifeless Stones
By Sebastian Hänsch in 833
This painting shows Wilhelm von Drachenfels inspecting the building site of Fort Nordling in 832. Wilhelm is speaking with Alfred Grohe, chief engineer of the Fort. In the background, you can see Wilhelm's two sons Friedrich and Franz speaking with their brother-in-laws Friedrich Schwassen and Karl Ansburg. Painting is one of the rare pictures done from sketches made in actual situation and is highly realistic. Wilhelm and Alfred are clearly arguing about something, which by the way they did during the whole building process. You can also see couple of places where the walls had collapsed and workers had died.
This painting is one of the few masterpieces of realistic tradition in Aalbanese painting.
Der Alte
By Lothair Gensch in 892
This painting shows old Friedrich von Drachenfels on his monthly trip in Aalbanese countryside. He is just talking with elderly woman, who has been collecting potatoes from her field. Friedrich is leaning to his walking stick and is dressed to his old, somewhat shaggy uniform, which has been white years ago. His carts are standing in background and you can nearly see his bodyguards' annoyance of his informality.
This painting done six years after Friedrich's death is the most realistic picture about him never done. There is nothing flattering in this picture and it shows how much respect he had that the Family had anyway made this painting to be the official painting of Friedrich.
Meeting of the Princes
By Hans Kraus in 897
This painting shows meeting of Ernst von Drachenfels with Prince Kenneth McGregor of Klantyre. Two Princes are greeting each other's in the Ratszimmer in Ritterburg. There is no one else in the room. This meeting is historical fact and it happened in the last month of 896. Painting was finished only two months before Ernst died in the next autumn.
Both Princes are painted with not so realistically. Ernst is clearly thinner than he was in real life and his face is not red it used to be. Kenneth is also made much more handsome than he was, his left leg was crippled and consequently he limped, painter had also lessened his stockiness considerably.
Together We Stand
By Francisco Navarra in 894
Painting shows the marriage of Albrecht von Drachenfels and Selena Aendyr. Besides the young couple you can see in the background Prinz Ernst and Prince Owain Aendyr, cousin of the bride. There is a feeling of happy occasion in the painting. You can see the bride blushing when Albrecht takes her hand in his own. You can see the pride of the new husband. On the other hand, you can also feel the slight tension background between Aalbanese and Alphatian nobles present.
This painting made by Caurenzian Francisco Navarra was always favourite of the Princess Selena. After Prinz Albrecht's death, it was hanging in her rooms until her death in 973. It was hanged in to the Prince's chamber only after that.
In the Garden
By John Purple in 958
This painting shows Grandmaster Johann von Drachenfels and his wife Sophie in the Garden of Great School in Glantri City. Sophie is sitting in the Bench and Johann is standing beside her. Sophie is watching her husband, who is staring to somewhere faraway.
Painting has solemn and almost ethereal feeling. There is old childless couple in the autumn of years and it is clearly seen that Prince is not in this world anymore totally. This painting is in it's own way unique in von Drachenfels -collection. Aalbanese artists have made most of the paintings and this one made by Fenswick John Purple is so totally different than the rest of them.
Ascension
By Gottfried Ludenburg in 962
This painting is one of the modern masterpieces of the Aalbanese style. It represents the announcement of the Georg von Drachenfels's becoming of the next Prinz of Aalban. Georg is standing before the throne in the Throne Room of Ritterburg in full Aalbanese military uniform. Before him is standing his son Morgaithe raising applauds for his father. Beside Georg is standing his oldest living cousin Gerhard and behind them are Georg's younger brothers Alexander and Heinrich and Georg's other cousin Wilhelm. Amongst the audience are members of the next generation of the Drachenfels' Alexander's son Nikolaus, Heinrich's son Nikolaus and Gerhard's sons Ludvig and Ernst. Amongst the white uniformed von Drachenfels' there their allies: Karl von Taafnen, Duke of Hightower and Gerhard's nephew, Salomon Wurt, Baron of Uigmuir and brother-in-law of Wilhelm, Corfitz Terlagand, Marquis of Berrym and Wilhelm von Graustein, Viscount of Blofeld. There are also Wilhelm's son Jörg and his cousin Georg, who is also Heinrich's son-in-law and Friederik Pieinants, Georg's brother-in-law. In the right corner, you can recognise four young men speaking with each other's; they are Morgaithe's son Jaggar, his cousin Konrad, Ladislav Wurt, son of Baron Salomon and Rolf von Graustein, Jörg's son.
This painting in its massive pompousness is amazing. It is nearly who was who in Aalbanese politics in those days. Only historical flaw the painting has, is that all the women are away. In fact, there were many women present, and you only have to wander why the painter had decided to leave for instance Georg's mother Selena, wife Augusta, and former Princess Sophie away.
Passing of the Prinz
By Karl von Raner in 985
This painting shows the death of Morgaithe von Drachenfels. Morgaithe is riding his horse in the middle of the battle against the goblinoids and just have a fatal hit from a poisoned arrow. Morgaithe is like a beacon in the middle of the dark masses of his soldiers and the goblinoids. In left side of painting, you can see horrified face Morgaithe's cousin Nikolaus, who had just realised what had happened.
This is of course not how it really happened, but artist had anyway captured the atmosphere of the moment magnificently. You cannot imagine better painting about heroic death of a wizard in the heat of the battle.
White Conqueror of the North
By Gerhard Grauenwald in 996
This painting shows Jaggar von Drachenfels defeating a great white dragon in the mountains. Jaggar had just blasted final fireball and dragon is breathing its last breaths in ground.
This painting is still official painting about
Jaggar, but there had been rumours that he had ordered new painting showing
him defeating the Ethengarian hordes before Glantri City.