Karl Wilhelm Wach
Encyclopedia
Karl Wilhelm Wach (September 11, 1787 - November 24, 1845) was a German
painter
.
in 1787, studied art at the Berlin Academy of the Arts
and was a pupil of painter Karl Kretschmar. At the age of just 20, Wach was commissioned to paint an altar piece for the Paretz village church and produced his "Christ with four Apostles" (1807).
Five years later came his artistic breakthrough, his painting of Königin Luise
(1812). After spending 1813 to 1815 in the Prussian army, Wach then established himself in Paris
. He met William Hensel and the two became pupils of the painters Antoine Jean Gros and Jacques Louis David. In 1817 Wach undertook a longer study trip to Italy, above all to study artists from Quattrocento
. His strongest influence - according to his own statements - was however Raphael
. Two years later Wach returned to Berlin (1819) and set himself up himself as a freelance
artist. His first large commission was a picture for Berlin Concert Hall. Wach created for it a cover painting of the nine Muses.
Prussian king Frederick William III
made available to Wach premises in which he then furnished a studio. Due to its influence and its many pupils, this studio soon became a school. By 1837 it had nearly 70 pupils, almost all of whom went on to forge artistic careers. His activity as a teacher did not noticeably impair his artistic work. Wach was honoured with the title professor and appointed a member of Berlin University of the Arts
(1820). To mark his 40th birthday Wach was officially promoted to royal painter (1827).
Wach died in 1845.
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...
.
Life
Wach was born in BerlinBerlin
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...
in 1787, studied art at the Berlin 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...
and was a pupil of painter Karl Kretschmar. At the age of just 20, Wach was commissioned to paint an altar piece for the Paretz village church and produced his "Christ with four Apostles" (1807).
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
(1812). After spending 1813 to 1815 in the Prussian army, Wach then established himself in 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...
. He met William Hensel and the two became pupils of the painters Antoine Jean Gros and Jacques Louis David. In 1817 Wach undertook a longer study trip to Italy, above all to study artists from Quattrocento
Quattrocento
The cultural and artistic events of 15th century Italy are collectively referred to as the Quattrocento...
. His strongest influence - according to his own statements - was however Raphael
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino , better known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form and ease of composition and for its visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur...
. Two years later Wach returned to Berlin (1819) and set himself up himself as a freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
artist. His first large commission was a picture for Berlin Concert Hall. Wach created for it a cover painting of the nine Muses.
Prussian king Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
made available to Wach premises in which he then furnished a studio. Due to its influence and its many pupils, this studio soon became a school. By 1837 it had nearly 70 pupils, almost all of whom went on to forge artistic careers. His activity as a teacher did not noticeably impair his artistic work. Wach was honoured with the title professor and appointed a member of Berlin University 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...
(1820). To mark his 40th birthday Wach was officially promoted to royal painter (1827).
Wach died in 1845.
Selected works
- Christ with four Apostles (1807)
- Königin LuiseLouise of Mecklenburg-StrelitzDuchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
(1812) - The Communion and the Auferstehung Christ (in the Evangelist church of St Peter & Paul, Moscow)
- The beautiful Velletrinerin, (1820)
- Madonna picture (1826, for Prince Frederik of the Netherlands)
- The Three Himmlischen Virtues (1830, in Friedrichswerder ChurchFriedrichswerder ChurchThe Friedrichswerder Church was the first Neo-Gothic church built in Berlin, Germany. It was designed by an architect better known for his Neoclassical architecture, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, and was built under his direction, 1824-1831....
in Berlin) - Carl von ClausewitzCarl von ClausewitzCarl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz was a Prussian soldier and German military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war...
(1830) - Christ at the oil mountain
- Psyche of Amor surprise
- A life-large Nymphe
- Bildnis Bettina von Savigny (1834)
- Johannes in the desert (1838)
- Judith with the head of the Holofernes (1838)
- Königin Elisabeth von Preußen (1840)