Anton von Werner

Anton Alexander von Werner (May 9, 1843 – January 4, 1915)Fulbrook, Mary and John Breuilly (1997) "German History Since 1800" "Oxford University Press US". 640 p. ISBN 0-340-69200-6.] 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'armee", and stayed in France until the close of the campaign in 1871. [" [http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/biografien/WernerAnton/index.html Biographie:Anton von Werner, 1843-1915] ", "German Historical Museum" accessed on May 2, 2006.] In that year, he married Malwine Schroedter, Adolph Schroedter's daughter. [Dr. Joachim Reinhardt, " [http://www.kronberger-maler.de/victoria/wernerbio.html Anton von Werner] " "Dr. Joachim Reinhardt" accessed on May 2, 2006.] In 1873 he was appointed professor at the Berlin Academy. His career reached its peak when he became, in 1875, director of the Academy in Berlin (Königliche Hochschule der bildenden Künste). 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. [Malyon, John. " [http://www.safran-arts.com/42day/art/art4may/art0509.html ART / 4 / 2Day] " "Estate of Bernard Safran". accessed on May 2, 2006.] He died in Berlin in 1915 and was interred at the Alten Zwölf-Apostel-Kirchhof à Berlin-Schöneberg.

Among 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 Triumphal Arch at Berlin. 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.cite book | last = Haverkamp | first = Frode | authorlink = | others = trans. Joan Fuglesang | title = Hans Fredrik Gude: From National Romanticism to Realism in Landscape | accessdate = 2008-01-07 | language = Norwegian | doi = | id = | pages = | chapter = | chapterurl = | quote = | ref = ] 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" ("Hussar and An Older Officer")
*1877 "Die Proklamation des Deutschen Kaiserreiches" ("The Proclamation of the German Empire")
*1883 "Sedan Panorama"

References

*1911