Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller
Self-portrait with a Lantern (1825; age 32).
Born	15 January 1793 Vienna
Died	23 August 1865(1865-08-23) (aged 72) Hinterbrühl
Nationality	Austrian
Education	Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Known for	Painter, aquarellist and writer
Movement	Biedermeier Realism

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (born January 15, 1793 – died August 23, 1865) was a famous Austrian painter and writer. He is known as one of the most important artists from the Biedermeier time in Austria. The Biedermeier period was a time in Central Europe when people focused on simple, cozy home life and art.

Becoming a Painter: Waldmüller's Early Career

Prater Landscape (1830).

In 1807, when he was 14, Waldmüller started studying at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. This was a special school for artists. Later, he lived in Bratislava.

In 1811, he worked as an art teacher. He taught the children of Count Gyulay in Croatia. After this, he went back to the Vienna Academy. There, he focused on painting portraits of people.

In 1814, he married a singer named Katharina Weidner. He traveled with her and worked as a set designer for plays.

Developing His Art Style

In 1817, Waldmüller returned to Vienna. He spent a lot of time copying paintings by "old masters." These were famous artists from the past. He also painted portraits, everyday scenes (called genre subjects), and still-life paintings. Still-life paintings show objects like fruit or flowers.

In 1823, he painted a portrait of the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

Later, Waldmüller became very interested in nature. He began painting beautiful landscapes. He paid great attention to every small detail in his nature paintings. He believed that artists should study nature very closely. These landscape paintings are his most famous works. His amazing use of color and knowledge of nature made him a master.

Challenges at the Academy

In 1819, Waldmüller became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. However, he often disagreed with the people in charge. He wanted the Academy to focus more on studying nature. This was different from their old ideas about "ideal art."

He even published his ideas about art education. Because of his strong views, he was forced to retire in 1857. But by 1863, he was welcomed back into Vienna's art world. He was even given a special honor in 1865.

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller was a very important Austrian painter. He was great at showing how close or far things were in landscapes. He also captured people's faces perfectly. He could show textures in great detail. He painted scenes from everyday country life. His works were bright, clear, and sometimes showed what he thought about society. He influenced many artists after him.

He believed in painting outdoors, directly from nature. This was called "plein air painting." He also questioned the old ways of teaching art. In many ways, he was ahead of his time.

Waldmüller passed away on August 23, 1865, in Hinterbrühl, Austria.

Artworks Taken During World War II

Wiedergenesene was taken from Hermann Eissler.

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite artists. During the time of the Nazis (1933–1945), many of Waldmüller's paintings were unfairly taken. These artworks were seized from Jewish collectors. Some of them ended up in Hitler's planned museum in Linz.

After the war, many people tried to get their stolen artworks back. Here are some examples of Waldmüller's paintings that were taken:

• Children on Their Way Home from School was stolen from Amalie Redlich.
• Little Count Esterhazy was taken from the Bloch-Bauer collection.
• "Bildnis der Familie Gierster" was stolen from Franz and Melania Popper.
• Wiedergenesene was taken from Hermann Eissler.
• Irma and Oscar Lowenstein had three Waldmüller paintings taken. These included The Good-Natured Child, Preparing the Celebration of the Wine Harvest, and The Grandparents’ Visit.

Gallery

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  Venetian fruit seller (1826)

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  Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller—self-portrait, detail (1828; age 35)

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  Louise Mayer (1836)

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  View of Ischl (1838)

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  On All Souls' Day (1839)

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  Dachstein (1839)

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  Waterfall (1840)

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  Young Lady (1840)

• 1840 Waldmueller Blumenstrauß mit Silbergefäßen und antiker Vase anagoria.JPG

  Still life with bouquet, silver vessels and antique vase (1840)

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  After school (1841)

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  Emanuel Ritter von Neuwall (1841)

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  Still life with oysters, fish and exotic fruit (1842)

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  Roses (1843)

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  Sunny Day (1848)

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  The love letter (1849)

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  Am Fronleichnamsmorgen (1857)

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  Children in a forest (1858)

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  Return from the Church Fair (1859)

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  Die Erwartete (The Expected; 1860). This painting has been talked about by some people who thought the woman was holding a modern phone. But art experts say it's actually a small prayer book, which was common back then.

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  Early spring in Vienna forest (1864)

See also

In Spanish: Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller para niños

• List of Orientalist artists
• Orientalism