Christian Wilhelm Allers
Encyclopedia
Christian Wilhelm Allers (August 6, 1857 – October 19, 1915) was a German
painter
and printmaker.
Allers, the son of a merchant, was born in Hamburg
. He first worked as a lithographer, and in 1877 he moved to Karlsruhe where he continued to work as a lithographer. In the Kunstakademie (state academy of fine arts) he was a scholar of Prof. Ferdinand Keller.
From 1880-81 he served in the German navy
in Kiel
where Anton Alexander von Werner
supported him. In Kiel he got to know Klaus Groth
, who became a friend of his.
Allers became well-known when he published his collection of prints "Club Eintracht" in 1888. Several other books and maps (collections of prints) followed, for the sake of example about Bismarck
, so at the beginning of the 1890s he was able to build a villa on Capri
. He lived there for many years, also spending some time in Hamburg, Karlsruhe
, and travelling around the world.
In autumn 1902, there was a scandal. Friedrich Alfred Krupp
, another famous person living in Capri, was accused by some Italian newspapers of homosexuality
and pederasty
. Some weeks later, Allers was accused, by court. Krupp died some weeks later, presumably a suicide. Allers managed to escape before the lawsuit began, which led to a sentence of 4½ years imprisonment, pronounced in absentia
. According to Tito Fiorani (Le dimore del mito, La Conchiglia, Capri 1996, pp. 23 e 24), "Allers had distinctly homosexual tendencies, and liked to surround himself with boys, whom he often used as models".
Allers left Capri and began travelling around the world for more than 10 years, staying some time in New Zealand
, Samoa
, and Australia
. During this time, he often used the pseudonym "W. Andresen", and earned money by making portraits of wealthy people. He died in 1915 in Karlsruhe some months after returning to Germany.
. His drawings are rich in detail and are of realistic style, so they often lack emotions.
Although the drawings look realistic, Allers sometimes added persons to scenes who were never at that location.
In this respect, he was not a realist.
Technically, Allers often used pencil.
To start with, his colored drawings were usually in pencil and were colored later (pastel, oil, ...).
His subjects were:
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...
and printmaker.
Biography
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. He first worked as a lithographer, and in 1877 he moved to Karlsruhe where he continued to work as a lithographer. In the Kunstakademie (state academy of fine arts) he was a scholar of Prof. Ferdinand Keller.
From 1880-81 he served in the German navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
where Anton Alexander von Werner
Anton Alexander von Werner
Anton Alexander von Werner was a German painter in the Kingdom of Prussia.Werner was born in Frankfurt 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...
supported him. In Kiel he got to know Klaus Groth
Klaus Groth
Klaus Groth , Low German poet, was born at Heide in Schleswig-Holstein.After studying at the seminary in Tondern , he became a teacher at the girls school in his native village, but in 1847 went to Kiel to qualify for a higher educational post. Ill health interrupted his studies and it was not...
, who became a friend of his.
Allers became well-known when he published his collection of prints "Club Eintracht" in 1888. Several other books and maps (collections of prints) followed, for the sake of example about Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, so at the beginning of the 1890s he was able to build a villa on Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
. He lived there for many years, also spending some time in Hamburg, 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...
, and travelling around the world.
In autumn 1902, there was a scandal. Friedrich Alfred Krupp
Friedrich Alfred Krupp
Friedrich Alfred Krupp was a German steel manufacturer of the company Krupp.- Biography :Krupp was born in Essen, Germany. His father was Alfred Krupp. In 1887, Friedrich took over the leadership of his father's company. He married Margarethe Krupp...
, another famous person living in Capri, was accused by some Italian newspapers of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and pederasty
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
. Some weeks later, Allers was accused, by court. Krupp died some weeks later, presumably a suicide. Allers managed to escape before the lawsuit began, which led to a sentence of 4½ years imprisonment, pronounced in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
. According to Tito Fiorani (Le dimore del mito, La Conchiglia, Capri 1996, pp. 23 e 24), "Allers had distinctly homosexual tendencies, and liked to surround himself with boys, whom he often used as models".
Allers left Capri and began travelling around the world for more than 10 years, staying some time in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. During this time, he often used the pseudonym "W. Andresen", and earned money by making portraits of wealthy people. He died in 1915 in Karlsruhe some months after returning to Germany.
Arts
Allers was a naturalistNaturalism (art)
Naturalism in art refers to the depiction of realistic objects in a natural setting. The Realism movement of the 19th century advocated naturalism in reaction to the stylized and idealized depictions of subjects in Romanticism, but many painters have adopted a similar approach over the centuries...
. His drawings are rich in detail and are of realistic style, so they often lack emotions.
Although the drawings look realistic, Allers sometimes added persons to scenes who were never at that location.
In this respect, he was not a realist.
Technically, Allers often used pencil.
To start with, his colored drawings were usually in pencil and were colored later (pastel, oil, ...).
His subjects were:
- Everyday life scenes (e.g. Club Eintracht, Spreeathener, Hochzeitsreise)
- Travel reports (e.g. La Bella Napoli, Rund um die Welt, Unter deutscher Flagge)
- Portraits
Books and Collections of prints
- 1885 Aus Kamerun. Ein Bilderbuch für kleine und große Kinder.
- 1887 Hinter den Coulissen des Circus Renz
- 1887 Hamburger Bilder
- 1887 The Mikado
- 1888 Club Eintracht - Eine Sommerfahrt
- 1889 Eine Hochzeitsreise durch die Schweiz
- 1889 Spreeathener. Berliner Bilder
- 1890 Die Meininger
- 1890 Die silberne Hochzeit
- 1891 Unsere Marine
- 1891 Backschisch
- 1892 Capri
- 1892 Fürst Bismarck in Friedrichsruh
- 1893 La bella Napoli
- 1895 Unser Bismarck
- 1896 Hochzeitsreise nach Italien
- 1898 Das deutsche Jägerbuch
- 1898 Rund um die Erde
- 1898 Unser Bismarck. Gedächtnis-Ausgabe
- 1900 Unter deutscher Flagge
- 1902 Das deutsche Corpsleben