Young man in black clothes on a red armchair

Michel Benies acquired the painting in 1906 at the 201st art auction of the art dealer C.J. Wawra in Vienna. He had given his entire art collection, including the Waldmüller painting, to his wife Angelique during his lifetime.

After her death, the painting became the property of their daughter Eveline Egger-Möllwald, where it remained until it was confiscated by the Nazi authorities. Eveline Egger-Möllwald, her husband Lothar and their two sons were discriminated against and persecuted by the Nazi regime. Although Lothar Egger-Möllwald was not Jewish, he was categorised by the National Socialists as critical of the regime.

Eveline Egger-Möllwald tried to evade the Nazis' seizure of her property by transferring some of her assets to her husband. This explains why the Waldmüller painting appears on the appraisal list of art objects ‘from the estate of Mr Lothar von Egger-Möllwald, Vienna III, Reisnerstrasse 59 [who died in Italy in August 1941]’, which was drawn up by Dorotheum expert Fritz Polt in September 1941.

By virtue of the Eleventh Decree to the Reich Citizenship Law of 25 November 1941, all of Eveline Egger-Möllwald's assets were forfeited to the German Reich. The painting was probably still in the Egger-Möllwald family's flat at Reisnerstraße 59, 1030 Vienna until at least January 1944.

The Gestapo and Vugesta were probably involved in the confiscation and realisation of Eveline Egger-Möllwald's art collection.

1953 Assmann Collection, Vienna

1994 Vienna Art Auctions

1995 Verein der Museumsfreunde, Vienna

2000 Verein der Freunde des Kunsthistorischen Museums, Vienna

2004 Verein der Freunde der Österreichischen Galerie Belvedere, Vienna