German Artist. He received world acclaim for his historical paintings of notable political and military events in the Kingdom of Prussia. One of the most famous painters of his time, he is regarded as a main protagonist of the Wilheimine Period. The son of a carpenter, he began an apprenticeship as a decorative painter in 1857 and from 1860 onwards studied painting at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin, Germany. The following year, he pursued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsrule, Germany. In 1867 he traveled to Paris, France where he prepared for the International Exposition. The following year, he moved to Rome, Italy and returned to Germany in 1869 where he received several state commissions. At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (1870 to 1871), he was sent with the staff of the 3rd Corps d'Armée under the command of Prince Federick William of Prussia and commissioned to paint "The Proclamation of the German Empire" (1877) at the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, France. As a result of his work, he became acquainted with numerous members of the German royalty, including Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, and Emperor Wilhelm I. In 1873 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Academy and became its director two years later. His other notable works include "Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms" (1877), "Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm Contemplating the Corpse of French General Abel Douay" (1888), "Man with a Newspaper" (1893), "A Billet Outside Paris" (1894), and "Unveiling of the Richard Wagner Monument in the Tiergarten" (1908). In 1909 he succeeded Hugo von Tschudi in directing the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. He died at the age of 71.
German Artist. He received world acclaim for his historical paintings of notable political and military events in the Kingdom of Prussia. One of the most famous painters of his time, he is regarded as a main protagonist of the Wilheimine Period. The son of a carpenter, he began an apprenticeship as a decorative painter in 1857 and from 1860 onwards studied painting at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin, Germany. The following year, he pursued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsrule, Germany. In 1867 he traveled to Paris, France where he prepared for the International Exposition. The following year, he moved to Rome, Italy and returned to Germany in 1869 where he received several state commissions. At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (1870 to 1871), he was sent with the staff of the 3rd Corps d'Armée under the command of Prince Federick William of Prussia and commissioned to paint "The Proclamation of the German Empire" (1877) at the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, France. As a result of his work, he became acquainted with numerous members of the German royalty, including Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, and Emperor Wilhelm I. In 1873 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Academy and became its director two years later. His other notable works include "Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms" (1877), "Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm Contemplating the Corpse of French General Abel Douay" (1888), "Man with a Newspaper" (1893), "A Billet Outside Paris" (1894), and "Unveiling of the Richard Wagner Monument in the Tiergarten" (1908). In 1909 he succeeded Hugo von Tschudi in directing the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. He died at the age of 71.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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