The German painter, etcher and lithographer Adolph von Menzel (1815-1905) ranks alongside Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840) as one of the most innovative figures in German Art of the 19th Century. However, unlike Friedrich, who believed deeply in the romantic power of nature, Menzel believed in Realism and strove for an objective, true-to-life representation of the world. A master of drawing and various types of print-making, as well as realist painting, he created over 10,000 paintings, drawings and fine art prints, including 400 illustrations for the life of Emperor Frederick the Great. His canvases - including history paintings and genre scenes, as well as portraits - are typically well researched, acutely observant and highly detailed. His palette, treatment of light and overall style - as exemplified for instance by Living Room with the Artist's Sister (1847, Bavarian State Art Collection, Neue Pinakothek, Munich) pre-dated French Impressionism by twenty five years. Menzel now ranks alongside the best modern artists of 19th century Germany.
For full biographical notes on Adolph Menzel see part 1. For earlier works by Menzel see parts 1 - 3 also.
This is part 4 of a 10-part series on the works of Adolph Menzel:
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c1850-55 Lady with hat and veil, viewed from behind
pastel 26.8 x 18.4 cm
Kupferstichkabinett - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany |
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1850-59 Weeping Man
graphite on off-white wove paper 13.1 x 81 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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1850-60 Peasant with a three-cornered hat
oil on paper mounted on cardboard
Oskar Reinhart Foundation, Winterthur |
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1850-60 The Back Garden
oil on canvas 48.3 x 68.6 cm
Detroit Institute of Arts, MI |
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c1850 Emilie, the artist's sister
black chalk and pastel 24.5 x 18.6 cm |
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c1850 Head of an old man
charcoal and pastel on paper 15.5 x 13 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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c1850 Lady with opera glasses
chalk and coloured chalks 28.2 x 19.4 cm
Kupferstichkabinett - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany |
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1851 Breaking the journey at an inn
oil on paper 38.2 x 52 cm
Alte Nationalgalerie - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany |
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1851 Cloud Study
oil on canvas 28 x 40 cm
Alte Nationalgalerie - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany |
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1851 In a railway carriage (after a night's journey)
gouache, with touches of pastel and oil paint, on cream wove paper, laid down on Japan paper 27.3 x 33 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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1851 Memory of Swinemünde
gouache over chalk on paper
Oskar Reinhart Foundation, Winterthur |
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1851 Menzel with his brother, sister and a relative next to the upright piano
graphite 22.5 x 28.5 cm
Kupferstichkabinett - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany |
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1851 Night in the forest
oil on canvas 50.9 x 65 cm
Kunsthaus, Zurich, Switzerland |
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1851 The Antiquary - Self-Portrait
lithograph
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio |
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1851 The artist's sister Emilie
black chalk and stumping with pastel on brown wove paper 31 x 24 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC |
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1851 The artist's sitting room in Ritterstrasse
oil on cardboard 32.1 x 27 cm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
1851 Essays on Stone with Brush and ScraperA set of seven lithographs published in “Versuche auf Stein mit Pinsel und Schabeisen” (Berlin):
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Title page
lithograph on China paper |
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Portrait of the poet Molière
(Brustbild des Dichters Molière)
lithograph on China paper |
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Playing Quoits on the castle terrace
(Reifenspiel auf der Schlossterrasse)
lithograph on China paper |
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Transportation of prisoners in the forest
(Gefangenenzug im Walde)
lithograph on China paper |
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Lady reading by the fireplace
(Lesende Dame am Kamin)
lithograph on China paper |
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Pursuit on the spiral staircase
(Verfolgung auf der Wendeltreppe)
lithograph on China paper |
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The bear pit in the zoological gardens
(Der Bärenzwinger im zoologischen Garten)
lithograph on China paper |
1851-57 The Uniforms of the Army under Frederick the Great 160 plates (29 shown here):
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| The Uniforms of the Army under Frederick the Great from Menzel's own copy with hand-coloured plates |
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| Title not found |
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| 2nd Hussars, Officer, c.1750 |
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| Bosnian Regiment (9th Hussars) |
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| Prussian Füsilier Regiment Jung- Braunschweig |
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| Prussian Husaren-Regiment von Ruesch |
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| Husaren-Regiment No.8, Erste Uniform Von 1758- 1764 |
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| 2nd Hussars, Officers, c.1750 |
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| 7th Hussars, Hussar, c.1757 |
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| Prussia; 3rd Hussars |
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| 5th Hussars, Trumpeter |
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| 20th Infantry Regiment, Unteroffizier, c.1750 |
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| Bosnian Regiment (9th Hussars) Officer |
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| Prussian 1st Dragoons, Trumpeter c1750 |
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| Prussian 11th Dragoon Regiment, Dragoon, c.1750 |
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| Prussian Kürassier-Regiment von Gessler |
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| Bosniaken Regiment |
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| Kurassier-Regiment No.2, Kurassier |
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| Kurassier-Regiment No.3, Officer, 1745 |
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| Kurassier-Regiment No.12, Kurassier |
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| Prussian Dragoner-Regiment No.5, Tambour |
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| Husaren-Regiment No.10 Offizier |
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| Regiment No. 23. (1806 von Winning.) Unteroffizier |
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| Prussia; Bosniaken Regiment, Officer |
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| Prussian Füsilier-Regiment Alt-Württemberg No 46; Battle of Kesselsdorf on 15th December 1747 in the Second Silesian War |
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| Prussian Infantry Regiment Prinz Ferdinand No 34; Battle of Kesselsdorf on 15th December 1747 in the Second Silesian War |
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| Prussian Infantry Regiment von Kalnein No 4; Battle of Soor 30th September 1745 |
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| Prussian Infantry Regiment von Kleist No 27; Second Silesian War |
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Prussian common soldier
lithograph 34 x 27.7 cm
© The Trustees of the British Museum, London |
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Prussian non-commissioned officer
lithograph 34 x 27.7 cm
© The Trustees of the British Museum, London |
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Prussian Infantery officer wearing the uniform of the 49th regiment
lithograph with hand-colouring
© The Trustees of the British Museum, London |
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Prussian Officer wearing the uniform of the 49th regiment
lithograph with hand-colouring
© The Trustees of the British Museum, London |
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Standing figure of a Prussian officer wearing the uniform of the 49th regiment
lithograph with hand-colouring
© The Trustees of the British Museum, London |
