Georg Friedrich Kersting facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georg Friedrich Kersting
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Kersting's The Painter Gerhard von Kügelgen in his Studio, 1811
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| Born | October 31, 1785 |
| Died | July 1, 1847 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Biedermeier |
Georg Friedrich Kersting (born October 31, 1785 – died July 1, 1847) was a German painter. He is most famous for his paintings of indoor scenes, often in the Biedermeier style. He was also good friends with another well-known artist, Caspar David Friedrich.
About Georg Friedrich Kersting
Georg Friedrich Kersting grew up in a large, poor family in Güstrow, Germany. His father was a glazier, someone who works with glass.
He studied art at the Copenhagen Academy from 1805 to 1808. This school was known for its modern teaching methods. There, he learned to paint with clear, sharp details. He even won a silver medal for his drawing skills.
In 1808, Kersting moved to Dresden. Later, in 1813, he joined the Lützow Free Corps. This was a group of volunteers who fought in the Prussian Army.
After his time in the army, he moved to Poland in 1814. He worked there as a drawing teacher. In 1818, he returned to Meissen, Germany. He got married and had four children. That same year, he became the main artist at the famous Meissen porcelain factory. He worked there for the rest of his life.
Kersting's Art and Friends
Kersting was a close friend of Caspar David Friedrich. Friedrich was a leading painter of the German Romantic art movement. Kersting's painting style was influenced by Friedrich's ideas. Both artists shared a romantic view of the world, but Kersting showed it in a more personal way.
In 1810, the two friends went on a hiking trip in the Riesengebirge mountains. During their many walks, they made many sketches and observations of nature. Kersting might have painted the people in some of Friedrich's early works. An example is Morning in the Riesengebirge (1810–11), which came from their hiking trip.
He was also friends with the painter Louise Seidler. She described him as a "splendid and comical fellow." Louise often posed for his paintings. In 1813, she helped Kersting send some of his artworks to the famous writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Goethe was very impressed. He suggested that the Grand Duke Charles Augustus buy Kersting's painting The Embroiderer.
Kersting's most famous works are his paintings of people inside rooms. These paintings are similar to 17th-century Dutch genre paintings. However, Kersting's paintings feel modern because of the scenes he chose. They also show his unique personality. Often, the people in his paintings are seen from behind, like in Friedrich's art. These scenes give hints of a story as the figures quietly do everyday things.
Some of his paintings show his time in the volunteer army, the "Lützow rangers." In 1813, he painted a full-length self-portrait wearing the rangers' uniform. The painting On Sentry Duty (1815) shows three rangers. These include the artist Ferdinand Hartmann and the writer Theodor Körner. Both of them fought alongside Kersting and died in the wars against the French.
Selected Paintings
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Embroidery woman (1817)
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On Sentry Duty (1815)
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Couple at the Window
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At the Mirror
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Man Reading by Lamplight
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The Wreath Winder
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Caspar David Friedrich in his Studio (1819)
See also
In Spanish: Georg Friedrich Kersting para niños
