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Commentary

14 Jan 2005

Mozart's Portrait — Doubts Emerge

Nur wer mit den Eigentümlichkeiten Wiens und seiner Bewohner, ihren Empfindlichkeiten und Ab grenzungen, vor allem im Umgang mit den einverleibten Idolen, einigermaßen vertraut ist, kann ermessen, welch empfindlichen Nerv die Nachricht treffen musste, die am Dreikönigstag aus Berlin, ausgerechnet Berlin, verbreitet wurde, dass in der Berliner Gemäldegalerie ein bisher unbekanntes Mozart-Porträt aufgetaucht sei. Zwar wurde zugleich eine elektronische Kopie dieses Bildnisses mitgeliefert, auch der Name des Malers, Johann Georg Edlinger, genannt und mitgeteilt, es sei 1790 bei Mozarts letztem Aufenthalt in München entstanden, alles Nähere jedoch soll erst bei einem Vortrag am 27. Januar 2005 durch den Oberkustos der Berliner Gemäldegalerie, Rainer Michaelis, bekannt gegeben werden. Also just an Mozarts 249. Geburtstag.

Zweifel: Mozart-Porträt nicht authentisch?

VON VOLKMAR BRAUNBEHRENS

In Berlin tauchte ein angeblich authentisches Mozart-Porträt auf. Erste Eindrücke zu dieser Sensation.

Nur wer mit den Eigentümlichkeiten Wiens und seiner Bewohner, ihren Empfindlichkeiten und Ab grenzungen, vor allem im Umgang mit den einverleibten Idolen, einigermassen vertraut ist, kann ermessen, welch empfindlichen Nerv die Nachricht treffen musste, die am Dreikönigstag aus Berlin, ausgerechnet Berlin, verbreitet wurde, dass in der Berliner Gemäldegalerie ein bisher unbekanntes Mozart-Porträt aufgetaucht sei. Zwar wurde zugleich eine elektronische Kopie dieses Bildnisses mitgeliefert, auch der Name des Malers, Johann Georg Edlinger, genannt und mitgeteilt, es sei 1790 bei Mozarts letztem Aufenthalt in München entstanden, alles Nähere jedoch soll erst bei einem Vortrag am 27. Januar 2005 durch den Oberkustos der Berliner Gemäldegalerie, Rainer Michaelis, bekannt gegeben werden. Also just an Mozarts 249. Geburtstag.

Wenn man weiss, dass seit etwa einem Jahr bereits die Vorbereitungen zur Feier von Mozarts 250. Geburtstag im Gange sind, die das, was 1991 zum 200. Todestag weltweit veranstaltet wurde an Kongressen, Ausstellungen, Festveranstaltungen, Fernsehfilmen etc., weit in den Schatten stellen werden, dann muss man den Berlinern ein gehöriges Mass an Chuzpe bescheinigen, wie sie diesen Medien-Hype losgelassen haben. Alle aufgeregten Recherchen aus Wiener Redaktionen halfen nichts: Das neue Mozart-Porträt und die Umstände seiner Findung werden erst am 27. Januar "enthüllt".

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