Ferdinand Keller, or von Keller (5 August 1842 – 8 July 1922) was a German

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

and

history painter History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

Life

He was born in

Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...

to the family of a civil engineer. In 1857, when he was fifteen, his father was awarded a contract to design bridges, roads and dams in Brazil. Ferdinand and his brother Franz were able to accompany him. Over the course of a four-year stay, he was able to teach himself drawing by sketching the tropical landscape. Shortly after their return, he enrolled at the

Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe The State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe () is an art school located in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. History The Academy was founded in 1854 by Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, with the landscape painter Johann Wilhelm Schirmer as ...

, where he studied with

Johann Wilhelm Schirmer Johann Wilhelm Schirmer (5 September 1807 in Jülich – 11 September 1863 in Karlsruhe) was a German landscape artist born in Jülich, within the Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian Duchy of Jülich. Biography Schirmer was started as a student of ...

, the former Director of the Academy.Stadtwiki Karlsruhe: Biography
/ref> After Schirmer's death, he studied with

Ludwig des Coudres Ludwig des Coudres (10 May 1820, Kassel - 23 December 1878, Karlsruhe) was a German history and portrait painter. He also served as a Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe. His son, Adolf Des Coudres, was a well-known landscape pai ...

. He was unsatisfied with the Academy, however, and took private lessons in the studio of

Hans Canon Hans Canon was the pseudonym of Johann Baptist Strašiřipka (also rendered as Johann Baptist Straschiripka or Hans Purschka-Straschiripka (15 March 1829, Vienna 12 September 1885, Vienna) an Austrian history and portrait painter. Life His fath ...

. This was followed, in 1866 and 1867, by study trips to Switzerland and France. He achieved his first recognition with his painting "The Death of

Philip II Philip II may refer to: * Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC) * Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor * Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374) * Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404) * Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497) * Philip ...

" at the

International Exposition A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

. From 1867 to 1869, he lived in Rome, where he made the acquaintance of

Anselm Feuerbach Anselm Feuerbach (12 September 1829 – 4 January 1880) was a German painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applie ...

and maintained a joint studio with him. In 1870, he became a teacher of portrait and history painting at the Karlsruhe Academy and was appointed a Professor in 1873. From 1880 to 1913, he served as director. In addition to his regular paintings, he provided decorations and curtains for the new Karlsruhe Court Theater and the Dresden

Semperoper The Semperoper () is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden (Saxon State Opera) and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra). It is also home to the Semperoper Ballett. The building is located on the ...

. His decorations for the King Carl Hall at the

Landesmuseum Württemberg The Landesmuseum Württemberg (Württemberg State Museum) is the main historical museum of the Württemberg part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It emerged from the 16th-century “Kunstkammer” ( Cabinet of art and curiosities) of t ...

pleased the King so much that he awarded Keller a title of nobility.

Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden Frederick I (german: Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig; 9 September 1826 – 28 September 1907) was the Grand Duke of Baden from 1858 to 1907. Life Frederick was born in Karlsruhe, Baden, on 9 September 1826. He was the third son of Leopold, Gra ...

, commissioned him to paint the "History of Baden", now on display at the . On a smaller scale, his etchings have been used to illustrate numerous books. He died in 1922 in

Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...

. A street in Karlsruhe was named after him in 1964.Stadwiki Karlsruhe: Ferdinad-Keller-Straße
/ref>

Selected paintings

File:Ferdinand von Keller Studie zur Apotheose Kaiser Wilhelms I 1888.jpg, Study on the

Apotheosis Apotheosis (, ), also called divinization or deification (), is the glorification of a subject to divine levels and, commonly, the treatment of a human being, any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity. The term has ...

of Kaiser

Wilhelm I William I or Wilhelm I (german: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and German Emperor from 18 January 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the f ...

File:Ferdinand Keller Bezahlung 1883.jpg, Payment (1883) File:Ferdinand Keller - Insel der Toten (1901).jpg, The Island of Death (1901) File:Ferdinand Keller - Jagender Jüngling.jpg, Young Hunter (1881)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Keller, Ferdinand 1842 births 1922 deaths 19th-century German painters 19th-century German male artists German male painters 20th-century German painters 20th-century German male artists Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe faculty

Life

Selected paintings

References

Further reading

External links