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Gustav Richter (artist)
Encyclopedia
Gustav Carl Ludwig Richter (1823-84) was a German
figure and portrait painter, born at Berlin
.
He began his studies at the academy there under Eduard Holbein, then was a pupil of Cogniet
in Paris
, and studied in Rome
until 1849. The technical qualities of his "Raising of Jairus's Daughter" (1856, National Gallery, Berlin), painted for King Frederick William IV
, aroused great enthusiasm on its exhibition, but both this and a large oil painting
"Building of the Pyramids" (1859-72), Maximilianeum
, Munich), ordered by the King of Bavaria, suffer from theatrical pathos. Recognizing the limitations of his talent, Richter confined himself thereafter to single figures and portraiture, in which he was more successful. The first of a series of aristocratic beauties was that of Princess Carolath (1872). Of several family groups, reflecting the artist's own domestic happiness, two called "Evviva!", the painter with his first-born, and "Maternal Happiness," the painter's wife (youngest daughter of Meyerbeer
) with their second son, were among the gems of the exhibition in 1874. His maturest works combine thorough characterization with real pictorial qualities. Fine examples are: "Banker's Wife" (1876), "Countess Karolyi" (1878), and, best of all, the well-known ideal portrait of Queen Louise
(1879, Cologne Museum). Mention should be made also of the portraits of Emperor William I
(1876, 1877), Empress Augusta
(1878), and General Count von Blumenthal
(1883, unfinished, National Gallery, Berlin).
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
figure and portrait painter, born at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Léon Cogniet
Léon Cogniet was a French historical and portrait painter.- Biography :Cogniet was born in Paris. In 1812, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under Pierre-Narcisse Guérin at the same time as Delacroix and Géricault. In 1817 he won the Prix de Rome and was a resident at...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and studied in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
until 1849. The technical qualities of his "Raising of Jairus's Daughter" (1856, National Gallery, Berlin), painted for King Frederick William IV
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
, aroused great enthusiasm on its exhibition, but both this and a large oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
"Building of the Pyramids" (1859-72), Maximilianeum
Maximilianeum
The Maximilianeum, a palatial building in Munich, was built as the home of a gifted students' foundation and has also housed the Bavarian Landtag since 1949.The principal was King Maximilian II of Bavaria, who started the project in 1857...
, Munich), ordered by the King of Bavaria, suffer from theatrical pathos. Recognizing the limitations of his talent, Richter confined himself thereafter to single figures and portraiture, in which he was more successful. The first of a series of aristocratic beauties was that of Princess Carolath (1872). Of several family groups, reflecting the artist's own domestic happiness, two called "Evviva!", the painter with his first-born, and "Maternal Happiness," the painter's wife (youngest daughter of Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
) with their second son, were among the gems of the exhibition in 1874. His maturest works combine thorough characterization with real pictorial qualities. Fine examples are: "Banker's Wife" (1876), "Countess Karolyi" (1878), and, best of all, the well-known ideal portrait of Queen Louise
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
(1879, Cologne Museum). Mention should be made also of the portraits of Emperor William I
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
(1876, 1877), Empress Augusta
Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein
Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia. Her full German name was Auguste Victoria Friederike Luise Feodora Jenny von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg.She was the eldest daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess...
(1878), and General Count von Blumenthal
Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal
Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall. He was a member of the von Blumenthal family.-Biography:Blumenthal was born in Schwedt, Brandenburg on July 20, 1810...
(1883, unfinished, National Gallery, Berlin).