Beethoven on His Deathbed

This facsimile drawing of Beethoven, during his last hours, was made by Joseph Teltscher.  Alexander Thayer describes how it came about in his multi-volume work, The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume 3.  He quotes Anselm Hüttenbrenner who was with Beethoven at the moment of death:

When I entered Beethoven's bedroom on March 26, 1827 at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I found there Court Councillor Breuning [Stephan von Breuning], his son, Frau van Beethoven, wife of Johann van Beethoven, landowner and apothecary of Lenz, and my friend Joseph Teltscher, portrait painter.  I think that Prof. Schindler was also present.  (Thayer, page 307.)

Thayer tells us what Teltscher was doing three hours before Beethoven took his last breath:

Hüttenbrenner says that Teltscher began drawing the face of the dying man, which grated on Breuning's feelings and he made a remonstrance, whereupon the painter left the room.  (Thayer, page 308.)

This image depicts that drawing.  The original is maintained at the British Library.

Click on the image for a better view.