Theodor Benedikt Sockl 1815-1861

Extract from a 1970 publication about artists in Sibiu c1850 by Dr Julius Bieltz, translated to English by Francine Barley.

The painter, Theodor Benedikt Sockl, belonged to the close circle of friends surrounding Theodor Glatz. Out of all his professional associates in Hermannstadt (Sibiu), he (Sockl) possessed the most prominent artistic talent, especially as a portrait painter. However, the unfavourable conditions of the time and also the lack of understanding about art at that time stood in the way of his full development.

Sockl was born in Vienna on 15th April l815, the son of the master cabinet-maker and inventor, Johann Gottlieb Sockl and Sophie, née Shurer von Waldheim. On 4th April 1834 the 19 year old Sockl entered the ‘Akademie der bildenden Künste’ (Academy of Fine Arts) in Vienna as a student of sculpture. He attended the summer courses in 1834, 1835 and 1836, where he turned more to painting.

In 1841 he painted his youngest brother Hermann Karl Sockl as a 16 year old youth (painting lost) and in 1843 he painted an altar piece for the church of the Piarists ‘Maria Treu’ in Josephstadt, Vienna ’Nepomuk findet in den Fluten der Moldau den Tod’ ('John of Nepomuk drowns in the Moldau river’). (Sadly these paintings are no longer in the church and their whereabouts are unknown.)

We find Sockl in the company of Glatz in around 1846. Fully at the instigation of Glatz, the Siebenbürger Volksfreund, (Transylvanian 'People's Friend') wrote ‘The excellent works of Herr Sockl find decided approval and we cannot help but draw attention to this since we have had no such talented portrait painter in Hermannstadt (Sibiu) for many years. Parishes that are, perhaps, inclined to order altar panels or such will find in Sockl, an excellent artist as well. His studio, which is worth seeing, is in the house of Baron von Apor No. 19 Fleischergasse’, now Metropolei St, Sibiu'.

Despite this recommendation, his talent was initially not sufficiently appreciated nor taken advantage of. In his letter to Anton Kurz of 17th May 1847 (excerpt above) Glatz complains that Sockl had received ‘no commission for an Altar panel, and no commission for a historical picture from the history of the Saxon people or Siebenbürgen (Transylvania)’.

In April 1846 Sockl had contemplated the idea of a short stay in Kronstadt (Brasov) and then to travel on to Bucharest (letter from Glatz to Kurz on 8 May 1847). This plan came to nothing due to the ‘fire of Bucharest’ as Glatz wrote to Kurz on 17 May 1847.

Therefore, Sockl strove to earn his living in Hermannstadt (Sibiu) through teaching painting. Amongst his pupils was the talented Clara Adelheid Soterius von Sachsenheim, whom he had got to know in the Brukenthal Art Gallery. Sockl was introduced to the family by Glatz.

After much reluctance, by her widowed mother, Sockl painted his pupil in 1847. (Sadly the original is lost in the UK but a copy is in the District Museum, Kronstadt (Brasov). Since Sockl did not want to accept a fee for the portrait he was allowed to paint a portrait of Clara’s mother Justine, née Conrad, widow of the ‘Generalperceptor’ of Hermannstadt (Sibiu) Johann Soterius von Sachsenheim and sister of the Transylvanian courtier in Vienna, Franz Conrad. The portrait, signed and dated 1847 is to be found in the Brukenthal Museum No 1315.

 Clara and Theodor then started to live together out of wed-lock, much to the displeasure of her mother and the rest of the family, at the time they all considered her the black sheep of the family. But despite resistance from the family, who had doubts about giving consent to marriage due to Theodor's insecure position and also because of his religious and status differences, the banns were called from 16 – 20 June in the Protestant church in Hermannstadt (Sibiu) and the couple were married on 12th August 1847 in Mehadia.

They then left Transylvania and settled down in Graz, Austria where, on 8 June 1848 their eldest son, Victor Franz Theodor was born. They then moved to Vienna where their 2nd son Theodor Friedrich Adolf was born on 18th November 1849, he though sadly died on 30th April 1850.

After this, in the summer of 1850, the family of three returned to Hermannstadt (Sibiu) where they took up residence in the Soterius house ‘zu den Steinernen Jungfrauen’ at 110 Fleischergasse (now Metropolei St Sibiu). Here they had a daughter, Ottilie Clara Sophie born on 3rd September 1851, as well as being a mother, Clara would give lessons in painting and drawing. 

In 1851 Sockl painted Clara again, you can see his reflection in the hand mirror she is holding. (This painting is privately owned).

Also in 1851 Sockl painted a few portraits of the Soterius von Sachsenheim family in Hermannstadt (Sibiu). Even though he was recognised as a capable and talented portraitist, the receptiveness for the art of painting after the years of the revolution (1848/1849), and its effects, were still not sufficiently advanced again for Sockl to bring in the necessary commissions to earn his living at this time. Already in June 1845 G. Parzelt of 64 Poplakerstraße was prepared to produce daguerrotype-portraits for individuals at 3 and 4 fl. C.M. and for group shots at 6- 8 fl. C.M. A silhouette cutter in Hermannstadt in 1845/46 also enjoyed a lively demand.

All the same, at the beginning of 1852 Sockl was able to undertake a commission to paint a life-size portrait of the founder of the Hermannstadt general savings bank Michael Fr. Herbert (Brukenthal Museum No. 2122). In the Benignis folk calendar of 1853 we still find an advertisement for ‘Theodor Sockl as academic portrait and historical painter in the Fleischergasse no.110.’

However, Sockl found himself forced to begin an unsettled wandering lifestyle in order to find work. In August 1852 he was in Broos and decided, in September, to travel via Kronstadt (Brasov) to Bucharest where he met up with his family on 20th September. In 1853 in Bucharest he equipped himself with photographic equipment as a means of earning his living. He moved with this entire equipment from Bucharest to Hermannstadt (Sibiu) in spring 1854, where he set up a photographic studio together with his wife, who in addition, continued to give lessons in painting and drawing. 

Already in June and July 1855 they photographed in Mediasch, Baaßen, Schäßburg, and finally in Borsec. One of the photographs of this seaside resort, coloured by Sockl’s wife, has survived (at the time of the article 1970). The return journey from Borsec to Hermannstadt followed in October 1855.

In 1856 and 1857 Sockl photographed mainly in Banat, in Herkulesbad, Karansebesch, Lugosch, Reschitza, Bosça-Montana, and in the mining area Saska. For a time they lived in Oravica in the Hungarian Banat where on 18th April 1857 another son, Carl Franz Albert was born.

Sockl was however, unable to prevent a section of his possessions from being (lizitiert) pawned. Finally he decided to move with his family from Orşova on the Danube to Vienna, Austria where they arrived on 28th October 1857. He painted fourteen pictures in oil for the cloister at the Ursuline Convent there, for which he received 210 fl. C.M. Where they first lived is not known, but in October 1859 the family moved into a flat in Fünfhaus, Hauptstraße No. 231, where they also set up a photographic studio.

Frau Sockl, who was suffering from a lung complaint, died on 25th July 1861 aged 38. A few months later on 25th December, Sockl aged 46, followed her to the grave and was buried in the Schmelzer cemetery. To cover the funeral costs Sockl’s brother Moritz sold the paintings that were left and hundreds of studies (Studienköpfe) to a Viennese junk dealer. A tragic, but at the time, characteristic painter’s fate. (end of translation)

As you have read, the article by Dr. Julius Bielz 1970 has been extremely informative and has filled in large gaps in our knowledge of Theodor Sockl and his wife Clara.

Their son Carl came to live in London with his wife Emma and their first two sons in 1889/90. Victor also came to London at the same time, he set up and ran a successful greetings card company called 'Sockl and Nathan' Carl worked as the accountant. Ottilie became a teacher and lived in Switzerland.

A list of paintings by Theodor Sockl that are known about:

Johann Gottlieb Sockl, father of the artist. Three-quarter length, oil on canvas, 1841 - Lost

Johann Gottlieb Sockl, close-up version c1841 - Privately Owned

Sophie Sockl, née Shurer von Waldheim, mother of the artist, oil on canvas, 1841 - Lost

Hermann Karl Sockl, brother of the artist aged 16, 1841 - Lost

Self portrait 1842 - Lost

1843 - Painted an altar piece for the church of the Piarists ‘Maria Treu’ in Josephstadt, Vienna ’Nepomuk findet in den Fluten der Moldau den Tod’ ('John of Nepomuk drowns in the Moldau river’). Sadly these paintings are no longer in the church and their whereabouts are unknown.

Portrait of a lady relative of Samuel von Brukenthal c1847 in Brukenthal Museum

Clara Adelheid Soterius von Sachsenheim, oil on canvas, 1847 - Lost in England

Justine Soterius von Sachsenheim, oil on canvas, 1847 in Brukenthal Museum No 1315

Justine Soterius von Sachsenheim, smaller copy portrait c1847 - Privately Owned

Albert Conrad Soterius von Sachsenheim c1848 - Lost 

Jeanette Regina Soterius von Sachsenheim née Schaffend c1848 - Lost

Friedrich Soterius von Sachsenheim 1848 in Brukenthal Museum No. 1313

Victor Franz Theodor Sockl as a baby 1849 Painting and the watercolour sketch by his mother for this painting are in the Transylvanian Museum, Gundelsheim, Germany.

Victor Franz Theodor Sockl as a small boy c1850 - Privately Owned

Klara Soterius von Sachsenheim née Miller von Milborn 1851 in Brukenthal Museum

Wife of Friedrich Soterius von Sachsenheim

Albert Conrad & Jeanette Regina Soterius von Sachsenheim Wedding painting 1851 - Privately Owned

Karl Conrad Victor Soterius von Sachsenheim c1851 - Lost

Clara Adelheid Soterius von Sachsenheim with mirror, oil on canvas, 1851 - Privately Owned

Portrait of Michael Fr. Herbert, founder of the Hermannstadt general savings bank, 1852

In Brukenthal Museum No.2122.

Two door panels of a man (Asklepois) and a woman (Hygiea) commisioned by a chemist

'Molnaush' in Heltaurgasse, Sibiu c1852. Both in Brukenthal Museum No. 1493 & 1494

Portrait of Kaiser Franz Joseph as a young man c1852 in Brukenthal Museum No.1365

Unknow man in civilan suit 1852 in Brukenthal Museum No.1113

Portrait of his daughter Ottilie as a four year old child, oil on canvas, 1855 - Lost

Pauline Bieltz as a child 1855 in Brukenthal Museum No. 1525

1857 - Painted fourteen pictures in oil for the cloister at the Ursuline Convent, Vienna.

It is not know if they are still there or even if the building is there.

Hermann Karl Sockl c1860 - Privately Owned.

Moritz Sockl c1860 - Lost

Julius Sockl c1860 - Lost

Painting of the Holy Family, Jesus, Maria, Joseph and Johannes, oil on canvas c1857 - Lost

Clara Adelheid Soterius von Sachsenheim, oil on canvas 1847. A copy of this painting commissioned by her cousin Dr. med. Authur Soterius von Sachsenheim, can be found in the District Museum in Kronstadt (Brasov) Romania. It was painted c1904 before the original was taken to his cousin Carl Sockl in London.

Sockl also painted some landscapes, some in the Drei-Eichengarten (Three Oak Garden) in Hermannstadt (Sibiu) and also of the Törzburger Pass near Kronstadt (Brasov). Whereabouts unknown.