Hafiz at the Fountain, completed in 1852 during a stint in Paris, established Anselm Feuerbach as a significant neoclassical painter. Born in Speyer in 1829, he spent his career moving between European cultural centers, ultimately shaping the German 19th-century school with his synthesis of classical composition and the rigorous techniques he observed in the Italian masters.
Formative Training
Feuerbach began his formal education at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf between 1845 and 1848, where he received instruction from Johann Wilhelm Schirmer, Wilhelm von Schadow, and Carl Sohn. Dissatisfied with the academic climate, he transitioned to the academy at Antwerp in 1850. By 1851, he relocated to Paris to study under Thomas Couture. This period concluded his foundational training, preparing him for his subsequent immersion in the visual arts.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Italian Influence
A grant from Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden enabled Feuerbach to visit Venice in 1854. This encounter with the Italian school of colourists profoundly shifted his artistic focus, as evidenced in his later output. Residing primarily in Rome until 1873, he aligned himself with Arnold Böcklin and Hans von Marées. The trio became categorized as the Deutschrömer, or German Romans, reflecting their shared preference for Italian artistic styles over traditional German methods. During this era, he engaged models such as Anna Risi and Lucia Brunacci, whose appearances influenced his depictions of figures like Medea.
Academic Tenure in Vienna
In 1873, Feuerbach accepted a position as a professor of history painting at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, counting Ludwig Deutsch, Rudolf Ernst, and Jean Discart among his students. His tenure was marked by a conflict with architect Theophil Hansen concerning his ceiling mural, The Fall of the Titans, intended for the Academy's Great Hall. During these years in Vienna, he maintained a relationship with Johannes Brahms, who later composed the choral work Nänie in his memory.
Legacy and Conclusion
Feuerbach resigned his academic post in 1877 and moved to Venice, where he died in 1880. His burial site is located at the Johannisfriedhof in Nürnberg. Posthumous interest in his work was significantly boosted by the publication of Ein Vermächtnis, a volume compiled by his step-mother, Henriette, which featured his correspondence and autobiographical notes. His works, including Battle of the Amazons, Girl with Dead Bird, and The Storyteller at the Well, remain housed in major German galleries.
Fast facts
- Born: 1829, Speyer
- Died: 1880, Venice
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Bavaria
- Movement: Neoclassicism
- Education: Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Notable work: Battle of the Amazons
- Burial: Johannisfriedhof (Nürnberg)
Questions readers ask
Who were the primary teachers of Anselm Feuerbach?
He was taught by Johann Wilhelm Schirmer, Wilhelm von Schadow, and Carl Sohn in Düsseldorf, Gustav Wappers in Antwerp, and Thomas Couture in Paris.
Where can major works by Feuerbach be seen today?
His paintings are located in public galleries across Germany, including collections in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Munich, and Berlin.
Achievements
- Notable work: Battle of the Amazons
- Notable work: Girl with Dead Bird
- Notable work: The Storyteller at the Well
- Movement: Neoclassicism
