Henriette Feuerbach (13 August 1812 – 5 August 1892) was a German author and arts patron. She was the wife of Joseph Anselm Feuerbach and the stepmother of painter
Anselm Feuerbach
Anselm Feuerbach (12 September 1829 – 4 January 1880) was a German painter. He was the leading classicist painter of the German 19th-century school.
Biography
Early life
Feuerbach was born at Speyer, the son of the archaeologist Joseph ...
, whom she supported in his art.
Life
Born Henriette Heydenreich in Ermetzhofen, she was the third child and only daughter of the pastor Johann Alexander Heydenreich (1754–1814) and his wife Friederika Christine née Freudel. Her brothers were Friedrich Wilhelm Heidenreich, to become a physician, and Christian Heydenreich (1800–1865), a future judge. They grew up in
Ansbach
Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, ...
and were educated in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, Greek and music.
She married on 13 April 1834 the widower Josef Anselm Feuerbach, whose first wife was Amalie Keerl (1805–1830). She lived with him and his two children, Emilie (1827–1873) and Anselm (1829–1880), first in Freiburg im Breisgau, later in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
. She gave piano lessons, directed a choir, and organised house concerts.
Clara Schumann
Clara Josephine Schumann (; née Wieck; 13 September 1819 – 20 May 1896) was a German pianist, composer, and piano teacher. Regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era, she exerted her influence over the course of a ...
and Johannes Brahms were among those who frequented her salon.Verein Feuerbachhaus Speyer. (ed.): ''Gedanken über die Liebenswürdigkeit der Frauen – Nachdruck der Originalausgabe mit einem Nachwort von Dr. Hans Schimpf'', p. 103. Brahms and Henriette held each other in high esteem; in one of Brahms' letters, he referred to her and Anselm as "this splendid woman and her illustrious son". After Anselm's death, Brahms composed ''
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...
, eight days short of her 80th birthday.
Writing
In 1839, she published anonymously ''Gedanken über die Liebenswürdigkeit von Frauen'', subtitled as ''Kleiner Beitrag zur weiblichen Charakteristik'' (A little contribution to the characteristics of women). In 1845, she published ''Sonntagsmuße'' (Sunday Rest), announced as a book for women. She edited with Hermann Hettner a collection of the writings of her husband after his death, working on the first of four volumes. In 1866, she published '' Uz und Cronegk'', the portraits of two
Franconia
Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian languages, Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch'').
The three Regierungsbezirk, administrative ...
n poets of the 18th century. She also published reviews in newspapers and magazines.
Her letters, edited by Hermann Uhde-Bernays, document over a period of 50 years her influence on the education and development of Anselm Feuerbach. She published in 1882 a book ''Ein Vermächtnis – Anselm Feuerbach'' (A Legacy), to promote his recognition after his death in 1880. It was successful and has been in print in 50 editions.Daniel Kupper: ''Anselm Feuerbachs „Vermächtnis“. Die originalen Aufzeichnungen.'' Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft, Berlin 1992.
Publications
* ''Gedanken über die Liebenswürdigkeit der Frauen.'' Campe Verlag, Nürnberg 1839.
* ''Sonntagsmuße – ein Buch für Frauen.'' Campe Verlag, Nürnberg 1846.
* Feuerbach, J. A. v., ''Nachgelassene Schriften'' in four volumes, Verlag Vieweg und Sohn, Braunschweig 1853
** Vol. 1: ''Anselm Feuerbach's Leben, Briefe und Gedichte'', ed. Henriette Feuerbach,
** Volumes 2–4: ''Geschichte der griechischen Plastik und Kunstgeschichtliche Abhandlungen'', ed. Hermann Hettner.
* ''Uz und Cronegk. Zwei fränkische Dichter aus dem vorigen Jahrhundert.'', Engelmann Verlag, Leipzig 1866.
* Henriette Feuerbach (ed.): ''Ein Vermächtnis – Anselm Feuerbach''; Propyläen-Verlag, Berlin 1924
Literature
* Herbert Eulenberg: ''Henriette Feuerbach – Ein Kranz auf ihr Grab'', in: Die Familie Feuerbach in Bildnissen, (, Stuttgart 1924.
* Feuerbachhaus Speyer (ed.): ''Gedanken über die Liebenswürdigkeit der Frauen''. after the original of 1839, Zechnersche Buchdruckerei, Speyer 1974.
* Daniel Kupper: ''Anselm Feuerbachs „Vermächtnis“. Die originalen Aufzeichnungen.'' Deutscher Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft, Berlin 1992
* Werner Schuffenhauer (ed.): ''Ludwig Feuerbach. Gesammelte Werke, Bd. 21, Briefwechsel V (1862–1868). Nachträge (1828–1861)'', Akademieverlag, Berlin 2004.
* Ilona Scheidle: ''"Ins Leben hineingeplumpst“. Die Briefeschreiberin Henriette Feuerbach (1812–1892)''. In: Heidelbergerinnen, die Geschichte schrieben. München 2006, ().
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...