Anton Alexander von Werner
Encyclopedia
Anton Alexander von Werner (May 9, 1843 – January 4, 1915) was a German
painter
in the Kingdom of Prussia
.
Werner was born in Frankfurt (Oder)
in the Province of Brandenburg
. He began painting in 1857 as a student painter, then studied painting at the Academy of the Arts
in Berlin
. He pursued his studies at Karlsruhe
, where he studied under Johann Wilhelm Schirmer
, Ludwig Des Coudres
and Adolf Schroedter. After having won a travelling scholarship upon the exhibition of his early works, he visited Paris
in 1867, and afterwards Italy
, where he remained for some time. On his return, he received several state commissions.
On the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870, Werner was sent with the staff of the third corps d'armée, and stayed in France
until the close of the campaign in 1871. In that year, he married Malwine Schroedter, Adolph Schroedter's daughter. In 1873 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Academy
. His career reached its peak when he became, in 1875, director of the Academy. After 1888, while in William II's
court, Werner tutored the emperor to become a painter. In 1909, he succeeded Hugo von Tschudi in to directing the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. He died in Berlin in 1915 and was interred at the Alten Zwölf-Apostel-Kirchhof à Berlin-Schöneberg.
Werner's more important works include The Capitulation of Sedan, Proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles, Moltke before Paris, Moltke at Versailles, The Meeting of Bismarck and Napoleon III, Christ and the Tribute Money, William I visiting the Tombs, The Congress of Berlin, and some decorations executed in mosaic
for the Berlin Victory Column
.
Werner's work is chiefly interesting for the historic value of his pictures of the events of the Franco-Prussian War.
Werner was good friends with Norwegian painter Hans Gude
whom he met at the Karlsruhe
school, and whom he would later work with at the Berlin Academy. Gude wrote of Werner in 1873:
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
in the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
.
Werner was born in Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice which was a part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants...
in the Province of Brandenburg
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
. He began painting in 1857 as a student painter, then studied painting at the Academy of the Arts
Akademie der Künste
The Akademie der Künste, Berlin is an arts institution in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in 1696 by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg as the Prussian Academy of Arts, an academic institution where members could meet and discuss and share ideas...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He pursued his studies at Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, where he studied under Johann Wilhelm Schirmer
Johann Wilhelm Schirmer
Johann Wilhelm Schirmer was a German landscape artist from Jülich, within the Prussian Duchy of Jülich.-Biography:...
, Ludwig Des Coudres
Ludwig des Coudres
Ludwig des Coudres was a German historical, portrait, and genre painter.He was born at Cassel in 1820, and pursued his first studies under J. von Schnorr, at the Academy of Munich...
and Adolf Schroedter. After having won a travelling scholarship upon the exhibition of his early works, he visited Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1867, and afterwards Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where he remained for some time. On his return, he received several state commissions.
On the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870, Werner was sent with the staff of the third corps d'armée, and stayed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
until the close of the campaign in 1871. In that year, he married Malwine Schroedter, Adolph Schroedter's daughter. In 1873 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Academy
Akademie der Künste
The Akademie der Künste, Berlin is an arts institution in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in 1696 by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg as the Prussian Academy of Arts, an academic institution where members could meet and discuss and share ideas...
. His career reached its peak when he became, in 1875, director of the Academy. After 1888, while in William II's
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
court, Werner tutored the emperor to become a painter. In 1909, he succeeded Hugo von Tschudi in to directing the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. He died in Berlin in 1915 and was interred at the Alten Zwölf-Apostel-Kirchhof à Berlin-Schöneberg.
Werner's more important works include The Capitulation of Sedan, Proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles, Moltke before Paris, Moltke at Versailles, The Meeting of Bismarck and Napoleon III, Christ and the Tribute Money, William I visiting the Tombs, The Congress of Berlin, and some decorations executed in mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
for the Berlin Victory Column
Berlin Victory Column
The Victory Column is a monument in Berlin, Germany. Designed by Heinrich Strack after 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War, by the time it was inaugurated on 2 September 1873, Prussia had also defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War and France in the...
.
Werner's work is chiefly interesting for the historic value of his pictures of the events of the Franco-Prussian War.
Werner was good friends with Norwegian painter Hans Gude
Hans Gude
Hans Fredrik Gude was a Norwegian romanticist painter and is considered along with Johan Christian Dahl to be one of Norway's foremost landscape painters...
whom he met at the Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
school, and whom he would later work with at the Berlin Academy. Gude wrote of Werner in 1873:
Works
- 1864 Kinderkopf im Profil (Child's Head in Profile)
- 1867 Kauernder Jüngling (Crouching Boy)
- 1872 Allegorie auf die Entstehung der deutschen Einheit (eine Vorstudie zum Mosaik an der Siegessäule in Berlin)
- 1873 Husar und älterer Offizier (HussarHussarHussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
and An Older Officer) - 1877 Die Proklamation des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (The Proclamation of the German EmpireGerman EmpireThe German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
) - 1883 Sedan Panorama
- 1886 Kaiserin Gigi
- 1888 Frederick III contemplating the corpse of French general Abel Douay