Anna Maria Mozart, née Pertl

Special exhibition Leopold Mozarthaus Augsburg

Women, sisters, daughters, and mothers of famous men in history are often only recognized in connection with what they were: wives, sisters, daughters, and mothers of X, Y, or Z. The Mozarts are no exception.

The special exhibition puts the spotlight on Anna Maria (she also called herself Maria Anna or Marianna) Mozart, the woman who played a far more important role in Leopold and Wolfgang's lives than is usually acknowledged in Mozart historiography and who, just like Leopold, was an extremely versatile personality with her own unique value.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a portrait from the Augsburg Art Collections, which, due to a mysterious pencil note on the back, was long believed to depict “Mozart’s mother.” The Viennese court painter Joseph Hickel was named as the creator, without any evidence. The latest research shows that, according to the pencil note, Johann Georg Edlinger was also considered as the creator.

Although it is very unlikely that Anna Maria Mozart is depicted, and neither Hickel nor Edlinger can be considered the painter, the picture represents an important building block in the reception of Mozart in Augsburg.

Photo: copyright Leopold Mozart Museum Augsburg