Eduard Schmidt von der Launitz
Encyclopedia
Eduard Schmidt von der Launitz (23 November 1796 – 12 December 1869) was a German
sculptor.
Launitz was born a Baltic German
in Grobin, Courland
, which was then part of the Russian Empire
. He was raised in Vechelde
in the Duchy of Brunswick
in 1809 after the death of his parents. In 1815 he began studying jurisprudence at the University of Göttingen. He became more interested in art, however, and visited an artists colony in Rome
. A student of Bertel Thorvaldsen
, Launitz's first independent work was an 1820 relief of his brother, who had died during the Battle of Leipzig
.
Launitz spent most of his adult life in Frankfurt
. He taught at the Städel
in Frankfurt and the art academy
in Düsseldorf
. Launitz is buried in the Hauptfriedhof Frankfurt.
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...
sculptor.
Launitz was born a Baltic German
Baltic German
The Baltic Germans were mostly ethnically German inhabitants of the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, which today form the countries of Estonia and Latvia. The Baltic German population never made up more than 10% of the total. They formed the social, commercial, political and cultural élite in...
in Grobin, Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
, which was then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. He was raised in Vechelde
Vechelde
Vechelde is a municipality in the district of Peine, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 12 km southeast of Peine, and 10 km west of Braunschweig.- Municipal subdivisions :- Twinned cities :Vechelde is twinned with:...
in the Duchy of Brunswick
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
in 1809 after the death of his parents. In 1815 he began studying jurisprudence at the University of Göttingen. He became more interested in art, however, and visited an artists colony in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. A student of Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
, Launitz's first independent work was an 1820 relief of his brother, who had died during the Battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
.
Launitz spent most of his adult life in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. He taught at the Städel
Städel
The Städel, officially the Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, is an art museum in Frankfurt am Main, with one of the most important collections in Germany....
in Frankfurt and the art academy
Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, formerly Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, is the Arts Academy of the city of Düsseldorf. It is well known for having produced many famous artists, such as Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Thomas Demand, and Andreas Gursky...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. Launitz is buried in the Hauptfriedhof Frankfurt.