Matthias Oesterreich
Biography
Birth: 1716
Death: 1778
Inspector of the Grand Gallery at Sans Souci from 1757 (until his death?).
Life with James Boswell
Oesterreich waited on Boswell at his lodgings in Potsdam on July 4, 1764, and “carried him in a coach to the Retreat of the Great Frederic [i.e. Sans Souci]”, where he gave him a tour of the castle and it's impressive gallery.
Notes
Sources for this article include The Journal of his German and Swiss Travels, 1764 and AbeBooks.
Recommended literature
Oesterreich compiled several catalogues of the works in the possession of Frederick the Great, some of which are available in various editions via AbeBooks today. These include Beschreibung der Königlichen Bildergallerie und des Kabinets im Sans Souci (1764), Beschreibung der Neuen Kammern in Sanssouci (1775) and Beschreibung und Erklärung der Grupen, Statuen, ganzen und halben Brust- Stücke, Basreliefs, Urnen und Vasen von Marmor, Bronze und Bley, sowohl von antiker als moderner Arbeit, welche die Sammlung Sr. majestät, des Königs von Preußen, ausmachen (1775).
Mentioned in
Matthias Oesterreich is mentioned in:
- Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland 1763-1764
