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Matthias Oesterreich
Born 1716   Died 1778  

Inspector of the Grand Gallery at the Sans Souci Castle in Potsdam from 1757.

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 its impressive gallery.

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).

    Boswell on the Grand Tour I, 1764
    The Journal of His German and Swiss Travels, 1764

    Unless otherwise noted, the source for a dated quotation of Boswell's is generally the corresponding volume of the Yale Trade Editions of Boswell's journals.