The portrait gallery of Werdenberg Castle brings together paintings of unknown personalities as well as portraits of the relatives of the Hilty family who bought the castle in the 19th century. The largest paintings with the most elaborate gold frames from the Rococo period show the ancestors of Lydia Hilty-Schläpfer, the mother of the last owner of the castle, Frida Hilty. She came from a wealthy merchant family from Speicher in Appenzell and was largely responsible for the castle's décor. Of all people, however, there is no painted portrait of her.
Half-length and bust portraits are forms of representation that have a long tradition in oil painting and an important function of representation. Attributes, i.e. objects such as a fan, bird or book, refer to the character, profession or status of the sitter. Portraits of young women were often made in order to place the daughters of wealthy families as future wives in other families, in keeping with their status. In the age of smartphones and social platforms, taking one's own portrait is no longer a question of class; today, current status is important, as is posing correctly for the effect of the picture - "posing" - a feature that has always been central to every portrait.
In the Werdenberg Castle painting gallery, six characters can tell you something about their lives:
Just download app "artverse" (it's free) onto your smartphone (either right here or directly at the castle): This way you can aim at the some of the paintings in the gallery and let them tell you their story themselves. (Only available in German).
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE PORTRAITS TALK?
1) Scan the QR code (right) and download the free app «artverse».
2) Select «Werdenberg Castle» and press «Start».
3) In the Werdenberg Castle Paintings Gallery, select one of the six paintings marked with an aluminium plaque at the bottom right.
4) Press "ok", connect the headphones to your mobile phone and press «I'm ready». (Headphones can be borrowed at the museum reception in the Bistro).
5) Focus the camera on the face of the selected portrait.
6) Use the pin symbol to fix the talking portrait: That way it will keep talking even if the smartphone is moved away from the picture.
WER SPRICHT?
a) Anna Barbara Schläpfer-Gonzenbach, um 1780, 38 Jahre alt.
Ehefrau des Unternehmers Johannes Schläpfer aus Speicher. Sie ist eine Nachfahrin der reichen Familie Gonzenbach (Hauptwil).
Sie ist die Ur-Ur-Grossmutter der letzten Schlossbesitzerin Frida Hilty.
b) Camillo A. Vigo aus Genua (gest. 1783), um 1780, ca. 40 Jahre alt.
Genueser Geschäftspartner des Textilunternehmers Johannes Schläpfer aus Speicher.
Das Handelshaus Johannes Schläpfer & Co. in Genua handelte mit Textilien nach Frankreich, Italien und Spanien.
c) Anna Elisabeth Hilty-Kilias, um 1840, 34 Jahre alt.
Sie stammte aus einer angesehenen Bürgerfamilie in Chur und ist die Grossmutter von Frida Hilty.
d) Johann Ulrich Hilty-Kilias (1793-1858), um 1840, 47 Jahre alt.
Er kaufte das Schloss 1835, arbeitete als Arzt in Chur und war der Grossvater von Frida Hilty.
e) Mädchen mit einem Hund und einem Vogel, um 1680, ca. 11 Jahre alt.
Ein unbekanntes Mädchen posiert mit einem Hund und einem Vogel unter einem offenen Vorhang.
f) Johann Baptist von Planta, 1729, 29-jährig
Möglicherweise war von Planta Brigadier der Bündner Regimenter in Frankreich und ein Kollege der Werdenberger Offiziere.
