Sculptor. He received much acclaim internationally as a German sculptor in the early 19th century. Born into a family that had been sculptors for three centuries, he studied painting first before turning to sculpturing. He was given a scholarship to study in Rome, where hee studied with famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and other artists. Upon his return to Germany, King Ludwig I of Bavaria commissioned numerous statues for his new palaces, churches, galleries, and museums. He works were widely received. His “Water Girl” statue is on display in a garden in Viborg, Denmark; his 'Mozart” statue is in a garden in Salzburg, Austria; and at Befreiungshalle, the Liberation Hall with his 34 “Goddesses of Victory” of white Carrara marble, joining hands in a solemn celebration and between them, 17 gilded shields from the bronze of melted guns. He received the Order of Merit for Arts and Science, was knighted, and made a honorary citizen of Frankfurt. He presented to Queen Victoria of England a set of twelve gilt bronze imaginary statuettes representing the Dukes of Bavaria, Electors of Palatinate and Kings of Sweden dating from 1253 to 1718, All were placed on a square stepped bronze base with their name inscribed and a laurel wreath mounted on the front. These were miniatures of a series of ten-foot tall statues, which were commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to stand in the new throne room of his Munich Resident. These were complete in 1823 but many were destroyed with the bombing of Munich during World War II. Most of his work is in Germany but the “Melusine” is on display at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth, England. He willed to the Munich Academy all his models and studies, which formed the Schwanthaler Museum. He was also a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich teaching many up and coming German artists.
Sculptor. He received much acclaim internationally as a German sculptor in the early 19th century. Born into a family that had been sculptors for three centuries, he studied painting first before turning to sculpturing. He was given a scholarship to study in Rome, where hee studied with famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and other artists. Upon his return to Germany, King Ludwig I of Bavaria commissioned numerous statues for his new palaces, churches, galleries, and museums. He works were widely received. His “Water Girl” statue is on display in a garden in Viborg, Denmark; his 'Mozart” statue is in a garden in Salzburg, Austria; and at Befreiungshalle, the Liberation Hall with his 34 “Goddesses of Victory” of white Carrara marble, joining hands in a solemn celebration and between them, 17 gilded shields from the bronze of melted guns. He received the Order of Merit for Arts and Science, was knighted, and made a honorary citizen of Frankfurt. He presented to Queen Victoria of England a set of twelve gilt bronze imaginary statuettes representing the Dukes of Bavaria, Electors of Palatinate and Kings of Sweden dating from 1253 to 1718, All were placed on a square stepped bronze base with their name inscribed and a laurel wreath mounted on the front. These were miniatures of a series of ten-foot tall statues, which were commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to stand in the new throne room of his Munich Resident. These were complete in 1823 but many were destroyed with the bombing of Munich during World War II. Most of his work is in Germany but the “Melusine” is on display at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in Bournemouth, England. He willed to the Munich Academy all his models and studies, which formed the Schwanthaler Museum. He was also a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich teaching many up and coming German artists.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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