Mozart: Che bello! A Genius in Italy
Wolfgang Amadé Mozart’s reputation as a child prodigy still shines today. The musical “boy wonder” has anchored himself in the public’s imagination. Only a few authentic portraits of Mozart exist from his childhood and youth. The majority is preserved in the extensive collection of the Mozart Museums in Salzburg. However, the portrait “Mozart in Verona” from 1770 has been in a private collection since a spectacular auction in 2019. On first glance, this portrait appears to be almost a clichéd image of the boy in a red coat, neatly dressed, and wearing the obligatory white wig. Innocently, young Mozart gazes out of the portrait. Yet, the first impression is deceptive.
