The Kunstakademie at its original Königstraße location The Kunstakademie at its original Königstraße location The Kunstakademie Königsberg was a

visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual a ...

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. It focused on

genre works Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, work, and street scenes. Such representations (also called genre works, ...

landscape art Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction in painting of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a coh ...

, and

marine art Marine art or maritime art is a form of figurative art (that is, painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture) that portrays or draws its main Sea in culture, inspiration from the sea. Maritime painting is a genre that depicts ships and the sea� ...

, especially of

East Prussia East Prussia was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 1871); following World War I it formed part of the Weimar Republic's ...

, as well as

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

. It regularly consisted of 8 teachers and 40–50 students.Albinus, p. 188

History

The Kunst- und Zeichenschule (art and drawing school), or Kunstschule (art school), was founded at

Königsberg Castle Königsberg Castle (, ) was the seat of the grand masters of the Teutonic Order and of the dukes and kings of Prussia in the city of Königsberg (since 1946 Kaliningrad, Russia). The original fortress on the site was built by the Teutonic Knights ...

in 1790. In 1833 the Governor of Prussia, Theodor von Schön, desired to open a public hall to exhibit works for the city's municipal art gallery,

university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

, and art school.Bötticher, p. 145 On 10 March 1838 King

Frederick William III of Prussia Frederick William III (; 3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840) was King of Prussia from 16 November 1797 until his death in 1840. He was concurrently Elector of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire until 6 August 1806, when the empire was dissolved ...

granted the Kleiner Jägerhof palace on Königstraße in eastern Königsberg for this purpose. The Kleiner Jägerhof was dismantled and a new structure was built from 1838 to 1841 in the classical style.Gause II, p. 479 Schön suggested the creation of an art academy in the new building to Culture Minister Johann von Eichhorn on 14 May 1841. Supported by Professor Ernst August Hagen, Schön then petitioned Frederick William III in October 1841, with King

Frederick William IV Frederick William IV (; 15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, was King of Prussia from 7 June 1840 until his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to as the " romanticist on the t ...

granting his approval in a cabinet order on 3 May 1842. The new art academy opened in 1845 under the direction of historical painter Ludwig Rosenfelder. Its first students were taught by the architect and art historian Hermann Gemmel and the painter August Behrendsen. Planning for a new building in the western quarter of Ratshof began in 1910.Köster, p. 86 This new Ratshöfer Akademie, designed by architectural professor

Friedrich Lahrs Johann Ludwig Friedrich Lahrs (11 July 1880 – 13 March 1964) was a German architect and professor. Life Lahrs was born in Königsberg, East Prussia. After attending the Löbenicht Realgymnasium, Lahrs studied at the Technical University i ...

, opened in 1916 and was completed in 1919. Costing 920,000

Mark Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...

, the new academy included the main building with the director's office and custodial office (487,000 Mark), buildings for sculptors, painters, and graphic artists (286,000 Mark), and auxiliary buildings (100,000 Mark). The interior was decorated at a cost of 47,000 Mark. Ornamental sculptures were designed by

Stanislaus Cauer Stanislaus Cauer (18 October 1867 – 8 March 1943) was a German sculptor, medallist and art teacher. He is best known for his monument to Friedrich Schiller. Life and work Cauer was born in Bad Kreuznach, the fourth of nine children born to th ...

. Many of the professors lived near the main building or along the western side of Dürerstraße near

Amalienau The Villa Schmidt, built in 1903, has been maintained in Kaliningrad Amalienau was a suburban quarter of western Königsberg, Germany. Its territory is now part of the Tsentralny District of Kaliningrad, Russia. History Amalienau originally co ...

. The Kunstschule remained at the previous Königstraße building. In 1917 during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the Kunstakademie held an exhibition in occupied

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

. Enrollment at the academy declined during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

as students were conscripted into military service. It was closed at the beginning of 1945 during the East Prussian Offensive. The building is now used as a school in

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Directors

* Ludwig Rosenfelder, 1845–80 *

Carl Steffeck Carl Constantin Heinrich Steffeck (4 April 1818, Berlin – 11 July 1890, Königsberg) was a German painter and graphic artist. He was especially well known for his paintings of horses and dogs. Life He was the son of a "gentleman of independ ...

, 1880–90 *

Maximilian Schmidt Maximilian Schmidt (25 February 1832 Eschlkam – 8 December 1919 Munich) was a German novelist and humorist A humorist is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking. A raconteur is one who tells anecdotes in a s ...

, deputy director from 1874 to 1880, then director from 1890 to 1900 *

Ludwig Dettmann Ludwig Julius Christian Dettmann (25 July 1865 – 19 November 1944) was a German Impressionist painter. Shortly before his death, he was added to the '' Gottbegnadeten'' list, a roster of artists considered crucial to Nazi culture. Biography D ...

, 1900–1916 * Georg Knorr, deputy director from 1 October 1900 – 9 April 1901 * Alfred von Brühl, 1 October 1916 – 23 June 1921 *

Wilhelm Thiele Wilhelm Thiele, also William Thiele (1890–1975) was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He directed over 40 films between 1921 and 1960. Life and career Thiele started his show career as a stage actor. He got his start in Austrian and ...

, 23 June 1921 – 1925 * Hermann Nollau, 1925–33 *

Kurt Frick Kurt is a male given name in Germanic languages. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Konrad/Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. Like Conrad, it can also a surname an ...

, 1933–45 * Franz Marten, deputy director from 1936

Teachers

* August Behrendsen *

* Emil Neide * Alfred Partikel *

Friedrich Reusch Johann Friedrich Reusch (5 September 1843, Siegen - 15 October 1906, Agrigento) was a German sculptor and art teacher. Biography He was born to a long-established family of craftsmen. His father was a master carpenter. Initially, he was going ...

* Karl Storch the Elder * Heinrich Wolff

Students

* Fritz Ascher (1893-1970) * Eduard Bischoff (1890-1974) *

Lovis Corinth Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism. Corinth studied in Paris and Munich, joined the Berlin Secessio ...

(1858-1925) * Pranas Domšaitis (Franz Domscheit) (1880-1965) * Hugo Knorr (1834–1904) *

Käthe Kollwitz Käthe Kollwitz ( born Schmidt; 8 July 186722 April 1945) was a German artist who worked with painting, printmaking (including etching, lithography and woodcuts) and sculpture. Her most famous art cycles, including ''The Weavers'' and ''The Peasa ...

(1867–1945) * Lothar Malskat * Lina von Perbandt (1836–1884)Bénézit, Emmanuel (ed.) (2006)
"Perbrandt, Lina von"
''

Benezit Dictionary of Artists The ''Benezit Dictionary of Artists'' (in French, ''Bénézit: Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs'') is an extensive publication of bibliographical information on painters, sculptors, designers and engravers create ...

''. Oxford University Press. Online version retrieved via

Oxford Art Online Oxford Art Online is an Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press ...

2 October 2017 (subscription required for full access). * Waldemar Philippi

Notes

References

* * * * * * *Nolde, Ingeborg. ''Kunstakademie Königsberg 1845 – 1945''. "Biographien der Direktoren und Lehrer", "Biographien der Schüler", pp. 65–9
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, Kant-Forschungsstelle Mainz {{DEFAULTSORT:Kunstakademie Konigsberg 1845 establishments in Prussia 1945 disestablishments in Germany Kunstakademie Königsberg Buildings and structures in Kaliningrad Defunct universities and colleges in Germany Educational institutions established in 1845 Educational institutions disestablished in 1945 Education in Königsberg Former buildings and structures in Königsberg