j.j.m. bild
Franz Seraph Lenbach was a German painter known primarily for his portraits of prominent personalities from the nobility, the arts, and industry. Because of his standing in society, he was often referred to as the "Malerfürst" (Painter Prince).
Beate Kuhn is a German ceramic sculptor.
She had an unprecedented influence on the development of German ceramics after the war, when in the mid-1960s she abandoned utilitarian ceramics in favor of free art.
After graduating from the Werkkunstschule in Wiesbaden, she founded her own workshop in Düdelsheim in 1957, developing a style that was already unmistakably her own. Here Beate Kuhn's sculptures were created from individual hand-carved and chiseled elements, which she assembled into a coherent whole. She transferred this stylistic principle of stringing geometric bodies to her designs of large-scale ceramic fountains. The artist's characteristic work can be found in every outstanding collection. The enormous number of prizes awarded to her underscores the recognition and appreciation she has enjoyed.
Carl Spitzweg was a German romanticist painter, especially of genre subjects. He is considered to be one of the most important artists of the Biedermeier era.
Joseph Vivien was a French painter from Lyon.
He left Lyon for Paris at the age of twenty and found employment in the large atelier of Charles Le Brun, the equivalent of an academy. He made his reputation with his portraits in pastels, to which he gave a sparkle and immediacy previously unreached in that medium.
Kaspar Heinrich Merz was a Swiss draftsman and copper and steel engraver. From 1821, with the help of "a few patrons", he was "apprenticed" to the copper engraver Johann Jakob Lips in Zurich for four years. He also worked as an engraver for the magazine Historical Entertainment. Merz had also acquired a reputation for his color engravings, some of which he created over years of individual work.
Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler, ennobled as Ritter von Schwanthaler, was a Bavarian sculptor and a key figure in the Classical movement in southern Germany. He was born on 26 August 1802 in Munich to a family that had been involved in sculpture for centuries.
Schwanthaler's journey began under his father's tutelage before he formally trained at the Munich Academy. His talent was so profound that he received commissions from royalty and mentorship from the likes of Peter von Cornelius. He further honed his skills in Rome, where he was influenced by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Returning to Munich, Schwanthaler met the demands for sculpture head-on, collaborating with architects and painters to revive the arts in Bavaria.
Among his many works, the statues in the Neues Palais and the figures in the Alte Pinakothek are notable. His versatility also shone in sacred art, with his contributions to St Ludwig and St Mariahilf churches. The Ruhmeshalle's metopes and the monumental Bavaria statue demonstrate his artistic bravery. Schwanthaler's life was dedicated to his craft, and upon his death on November 14, 1848, he bequeathed his models and studies to the Munich Academy, forming the Schwanthaler Museum.
For art enthusiasts, Schwanthaler's legacy offers a deep dive into classical sculpture's golden age. His works remain a testament to the neoclassical aesthetic and are celebrated for their historical and artistic significance.
Engage with the grandeur of Schwanthaler's art by signing up for updates, and take part in preserving the memory of one of Bavaria's master sculptors.
Ernst Meyer was a Danish genre painter of Jewish origin. He studied painting at the Royal Danish Academy of Arts.
Ernst Meyer travelled extensively, living for a time in Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. It was the colourful street life of Rome that first inspired him to create genre scenes.
