A striking black and white portrait of Arnold Schönberg captured by Franz Xaver Setzer in 1922, reflecting the glamour of Viennese society and inviting you to explore this timeless piece of musical history.
Discover the captivating Viennese photography of Franz Anton Adolf Setzer! Explore his portraits & social scenes from 1911-1939, featured in Orsay & more.
Discover the revolutionary musical archives of the Arnold Schönberg Center in Vienna, where you can explore original scores and a replica of the composer's study to experience the heart of Viennese Modernism.
Franz Xaver Setzer’s photo studio was one of Vienna’s most renowned addresses around 1920 (Hofstallstraße, now Museumstraße). He took portraits of personalities from social circles, important artists such as Stefan Zweig and Arthur Schnitzler and musicians passing through in transit, including Giacomo Puccini and Maurice Ravel. Arnold Schönberg visited the studio with his pupil Alban Berg in February/March 1922. However, they were not photographed together; we know they went together from an entry in the list of photographic plates (which still survives today, along with the studio’s complete equipment and glass plate negatives). Schönberg was very satisfied with his portraits: “Dear Mr. Setzer, my most sincere thanks for the photographs. They are very fine and I will be completely satisfied if I succeed in looking as good as these pictures, which are entirely suitable as paragons.” (Arnold Schönberg to Franz Xaver Setzer, 16 March 1923)
