A visual correspondence to his deafness

I wanted to add some information to our travel diary regarding my message to Frank Wallburger on January 12, 2026:

My gallerist once formulated about my 'Beethoven Cycle' (technique is acrylic and resin on copper):

'In his 'Beethoven Cycle', Matthias Pabsch develops a dynamic transformation of the Beethoven portrait created by Joseph-Karl Stieler in 1820 during the working process. Pabsch's 'Beethoven Cycle' is a significant example of the changes that have manifested in the perception of his person and work since Beethoven's death.'

The portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler from 1820 is probably the most iconic image of Beethoven ever. It shows the composer working on the Missa solemnis.

The AI adds: No image has shaped our perception of Ludwig van Beethoven as much as the oil painting by Joseph Karl Stieler. Created in 1820, it depicts the 49-year-old composer at the height of his visionary power, but also marked by his advancing isolation. The portrait is full of symbolism:

o The Missa solemnis: Beethoven holds the score of his great sacred work in his hands – a sign of his deep spiritual engagement with God and eternity.
o The wild hair: The famous 'lion-like' hair, which Stieler almost heroically exaggerated, became the epitome of the unbowed, passionate genius that does not conform to social conventions.
o The gaze: Beethoven's gaze is not directed at the viewer but seems to look into a distant, inner world – a visual correspondence to his deafness and hearing of inner sounds.

Stieler had to literally "besiege" Beethoven for this picture; the composer hated sitting still. That Matthias Pabsch uses this portrait today as the basis for his cycle closes the circle: He takes the frozen image of the "Titan" and transforms it into the present with modern materials like resin and copper. He dissolves the monument.