Carl Spitzweg
5th February 1808 – 23th September 1885
Carl Spitzweg was born on 5th of February in 1808 in Unterpfaffenhofen, Bavaria. Although trained as a chemist, he discovered quite early his talent for drawing and his affinity with art. Spitzweg travelled extensively during his lifetime and the impressions formed by his travels greatly influenced his work. Shortly after completing his studies in pharmaceutics in 1832, he visited Italy. It was particularly in the cities of Florence, Rome, and Naples that he discovered the many significant works of Western culture which were to leave a permanent imprint on him.
A severe case of dysentery in 1833 strengthened his resolve to abandon his career as a chemist and he proceeded to commit himself solely to his painting. In June 1835, he became a member of the Munich Art Association and travelled that same year to southern Tirol with the landscape painter Eduard Schleich, the Elder.
In 1839 he completed his first painting entitled ''The Poor Poet'. Although this recurring motif would later be considered his most well-known body of work, the painting was not accepted at this time by the jury of the Munich Art Association.
As regards his graphic production, the first publication in 1844 of his own illustrations in the Munich weekly paper 'Fliegende Blätter' is considered quite significant. His visits to the Industrial Exposition in Paris and the World's Fair exhibition in London in 1851 were his first contact with the Oriental scenes which would begin to inform his work.
To the deserving painter were bestowed numerous honours during the second half of Spitzweg's lifetime: in 1865 the Bavarian Royal Merit Order of St. Michael was conferred upon him, and in 1875 he was named an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts.
Carl Spitzweg died on 23th of September in 1885 and was entombed in the historic South Cemetery in Munich.
He leaves behind a body of work dedicated to the townspeople who inhibit his genre scenes, and with acute and pointed, but never ill-natured humour he portrays the everday bourgeois life of his time.
Lit: Siegfried Wichmann, Carl Spitzweg. Verzeichnis der Werke, Gemälde und Aquarelle, Stuttgart: Belser, 2002.
Carl Spitzweg |
There are 9 matches. | ||||
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In our current auction you will also find works by Carl Spitzweg. | ||||
Winter Auctions 24.11–25.11.2023 Modern and Contemporary Art | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 3000 (Winter Auctions 24.11–25.11.2023) Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. «Rauchender Mann im Profil und Kopf mit Hut en face (smoking man in profile and head ... | |||
Autumn Auctions | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2003 (Autumn Auctions Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. Authors Benno Reifenberg and Wilhelm Hausenstein. Published by Piper, München 1949. ... | |||
Spring Auctions 14.–16.06.2012 Modern and Contemporary Art | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2006 (Spring Auctions 14.–16.06.2012) Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. E «Der Neger», number 6 from the portfolio «Jahrmarkt (fun fair)». Drypoint. ... | |||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2007 (Spring Auctions 14.–16.06.2012) Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. E «Der große Mann (the tall man)», number 5 from the portfolio «Jahrmarkt (fun ... | starting price: 300,- EUR | ||
Autumn Auctions | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 1003 (Autumn Auctions Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. «Eislauf (skating)». 1922. Lithograph. Signed lower right in pencil. Passepartout. ... | |||
Spring Auction 14.–16.05.2009 Modern and Contemporary Art | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 1639 (Spring Auction 14.–16.05.2009) Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. Radierung. «Der Zeichner in Gesellschaft (Rudolf Großmann)». Einen Mann mit ... | |||
Autumn Sale | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2702 (Autumn Sale Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. Kaltnadelradierung. «Musterung». Gruppe unbekleideter Männer, ein Herr in dunklem ... | |||
Spring Sale | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2325 (Spring Sale Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. Radierung. «Die Granate». Auseinander stürmende Menschenmenge, vor gerade ... | |||
Autumn Sale | ||||
Image under artist's copyright. | 2896 (Autumn Sale Beckmann, Max 1884 Leipzig - 1950 New York. Lithographie. "Frau mit Fisch". Liegende Frau mit aufgestellten Beinen, dazwischen ... |
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