Musical Instruments

Appearance and character of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The appearance and character of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are the subject of extensive contemporary research. The fact that it has not been possible to exhume Mozart's remains – due to the exact location of the community grave in which he was buried being unknown – nor are masks or mortuary casts preserved, lends a degree of uncertainty to the composer's physical appearance. Although an alleged skull of Mozart exists, its authenticity, more than questionable, has not been verified to date. This skull has been subjected to various DNA tests, comparing it with those of his alleged niece and maternal grandmother, but not only did they find that the former's DNA did not match those of his two relatives, but also that theirs did not match each other either. Also, an alleged lock of his hair of dubious legitimacy has been preserved. However, there are reliable sources and references concerning both his appearance and clothing as well as his personality. This information is found in artworks, descriptions, and testimonies of the time, which allow us to get a more or less accurate idea of what Mozart was like physically and psychologically. Regarding his clothing and personal effects, recent studies based on documents such as the Order of Suspension drawn up after his death or the record of receipts for the purchase of costumes, have done much to shed light on Mozart's tastes in clothing. As for his personality, knowledge of it is mainly due to the descriptions of his contemporaries that have been preserved, as well as to the analysis of the composer's extensive personal correspondence.

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See also

• ▸Bryce Dessner
• ▸Hueyatlaco
• ▸Joaquín Rodrigo

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