Monday, December 20, 2021

Waldmüller's Nature Studies

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (Austrian 1793-1865) was fascinated by trees. He had a burning desire to paint them just as they were.


While still in his 20s, he became a professor of art at the Academy in Vienna. Although he had been trained by copying from old masters, he thought that copies from earlier artists shouldn't be the sum total of an art education. 

Instead he had a growing belief that the craft of painting should be founded on the close study of nature. 

 
According to Wikipedia "his views were in opposition to the official doctrines of ideal art promulgated by the Vienna Academy, and after he had published his works on art education, he was forced to retire in 1857." 


Fortunately toward the end of his life he was invited back into the art establishment of Vienna, and received his knighthood in 1865. 
--

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for once again introducing me to a fabulous artist I was not familiar with!

    I think these images reinforce that painting, even genre painting, offers something that photography does not. These paintings do not look like photos; they look like being there in front of these trees. I'm not sure how or why they produce this effect, but it will give me something to think on and strive to emulate going forwards.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Newt left a good comment. Thanks so much for what you give.

    ReplyDelete

Due to a high level of spam we must moderate comments. Please identify yourself by name or social media handle so we know you're not a 'bot.'