Sixty-eight frescoes painted within the Imperial Palace of Goslar transformed Hermann Wislicenus into a significant figure of 19th-century German historical art. These murals established a visual narrative connecting imperial rule from Charlemagne to the newly unified German Empire, serving as a primary cultural reference point for the national identity of the Lesser German Reich during the late nineteenth century.
Early Training and Italian Influence
Born in Eisenach in 1825, Wislicenus began his formal artistic training at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1844. He studied under Eduard Bendemann and Julius Schnorr before gaining broader exposure to classical techniques. A stipend provided by the Grand Duke of Weimar allowed him to reside in Rome between 1853 and 1857. During this period, he adopted the principles of the Nazarene movement and became a devoted follower of Peter von Cornelius, which fundamentally shaped his approach to composition and thematic structure.
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Upon returning to Germany, Wislicenus established a studio in Weimar before transitioning into academic instruction. He joined the Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School in 1865 and was later appointed as a professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 1868. His output was diverse, encompassing oil paintings, watercolors, and cartoons. Significant works from this period include the 1862 Myth of Prometheus held at the Leipzig Museum, the 1865 Flood of Deucalion in the Weimar Museum, and The Four Seasons, completed in 1877 for the National Gallery in Berlin.
The Goslar Commission
The restoration of the Imperial Palace of Goslar, which began in 1868, provided Wislicenus with his most extensive commission. After winning an open competition in 1877, he spent two decades overseeing the decoration of the Kaisersaal. Assisted by several pupils, he produced a massive cycle of wall paintings intended to legitimize the Prussian-led German Empire through historical continuity. These works represented the culmination of his career, effectively blending his academic training with the romanticized nationalist fervor prevalent in the German art scene at the time.
Fast facts
- Born: 1825, Eisenach
- Died: 1899, Goslar
- Citizenship: Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
- Educated: Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
- Key Appointment: Professor at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Notable Project: Kaisersaal der Kaiserpfalz Goslar
Questions readers ask
What was the subject of the Goslar murals?
The murals depicted the historical continuity of imperial rule in Germany, spanning from the reign of Charlemagne to the establishment of the German Empire in 1871.
Where did Wislicenus study art?
He trained at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts starting in 1844 and later studied in Italy under the influence of Peter von Cornelius.
Achievements
- Notable work: Design for a theater curtain
- Notable work: Kaisersaal der Kaiserpfalz Goslar
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