Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885)
Der verbotene Weg (The Forbidden Path)
The Dilemma of Virtue.
Carl Spitzweg was the master of transforming Biedermeier coziness into sharp social irony. He depicted the human condition with affection, but never without a sting.
In The Forbidden Path, a Jesuit priest stands frozen before a barrier, clutching his breviary behind his back. It is a scene of moral choice, a comedic reinterpretation of the antique "Hercules at the Crossroads." To the left lies the safety of the village church towers; straight ahead lies the "forbidden" cornfield where a hussar and a lady have disappeared for a tryst.
Spitzweg leaves the priest’s decision unresolved. Will he choose the path of righteousness or the path of curiosity?
Why it matters: A textbook example of German Romanticism’s wit. This is one of only seven recorded versions of this composition, backed by historical expertises from Hans Uhde-Bernays (1960) and Erich Hanfstaengl (1962).
Details:
Oil on canvas.
Included in the catalogue raisonné.
Market Context:
Auction: Karl und Faber, Munich.
Date: 14 Nov 2025.
Estimate: €120,000