3-065-872 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"The Parting", by Wilhelm Roller, 1874. Engraving of a painting, depicting '...a scene that might belong to some gentle love-story of old German chivalry...The true and faithful knight, a virtuous servant of public duty, is about to depart for the wars, in the pure spirit of a devout Crusader. His horse is held by a page outside, where the comrades and followers of his martial journey await his coming forth. A tender, but resolute and cheerful, word of due farewell must be spoken to his grieving wife before he leaves the house. He has endeavoured to console her and to set her an example of courage. But the sight of her comfortless sorrow, which he must now leave, he fears, to grow still more painful in his long-expected absence, seems almost to have brought him down to equal sadness. Perhaps...this noble Freiherr of the romantic ages will presently be fain to wipe some drops of heart-water from his manly cheek and eyes...The artist, Wilhelm Koller, is a native of Vienna, and about forty years of age. He studied at Dusseldorf, under Cornelius, Lessing, Bendemann, and Rethel. During some years, till 1859, he resided at Antwerp, but is now settled at Brussels, where his talent is fairly esteemed'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.