DOI issue:
No. 4
DOI article:Ryszkiewicz, Andrzej; Schadow, Wilhelm von [Ill.]: Paintings by Wilhelm Schadow in Polish collections
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17161#0142
However there can be spotted some features which allowed Schadow then, and even more,
later, to take position of his own, distinct from othcrs. Thus, he attached more importance
to the naturę study tlian other Nazarenes did. He tried to fili the „ideał subject with tlie pulse
of life", and he searched for measure and criteria of truth in the surrounding reality. Finally,
hc also differed from others by being more attracted by colour problems which be tried to solve-
keeping in touch with French fcllows gathered at the Ecole de Rome.3
He used to work slowly, with care so typical for the Nazarenes, finishing his — not too nu-
merous — works in every, however subordinate, detail. His compositions possessed a sinooth,
scmewhat cool and impersonal workmanship, far from differentiation and freedom of the French
represcntatives of Romanticism. The patterns of forms and colours were thoroughly thought.
ovcr, any improvising was entirely cut off, so that nowadays, these paintings are boring by
their artificial perfection. Then, however, they expressed the Nazarene concept of the renewal'
of technical painting skill. They also satisfied the German, and not only German, needs of „ideał
imrges", of a we)] cared-for neatness, of a reasonable economy in the artist's work, of a mild
appeal, internal discipline and order, finally of the precision of painters' craftsmanship. AIthough
we encompass these works within the same stylistic group (that of Romanticism) with the
spcntaneous art of Gćricault and Delacroix, as a matter of fact they are opposed to the others.
This is so because they followed strictly these rules and canons, by which the French romanticists.
nevcr allowed to constrain their paintings.
Schadow did not paint many pictures in Rome. In 1816 — 17 he took part in decorating tbe-
Casa Bartholdy with frescoes; he painted two scenes: Jacob is shown the bloody robe of Joseph
and Joseph explaining dreams to his co-prisoners (both of them in the National Galerie in Berlin
now).4 He painted several portraits, among others Selfportraił with brother Rudolph and Thorvaldsen,
combining the features of a „romantic portrait of friends" willi the allegory of the link between
painting and sculpture.5 He composed several religious scenes, such as, for example, The Holy
Family in Munich. He made a lot of drawings.
After he returned to Berlin, he was offered a chair in the Academy, then directed by his father,
and he started painting the Bacchanals on the ceiling of the theatre proscenium. Then, in 1820
he arranged an exhibition of his works in his studio, as he wished, for the first time, to show
in a most comprehensive way his achievements and to present the scope of his artistic activity.&
Among others, there could be seen on that show a portrait of the „two sons of a Polish prince,
painted in lifesize on a long panel"7, „not less successful" than the portrait of the three daughter&
of Minister Humboldt. While reviewing the display then, Amalie von Helwig, nee Freiin von
Imhoff, described this painting (what hadn't been noticed by later writers), reproaching
the artist that he emphasized the national character of the boys. This was the comment of Amalie
von Helwig: Die Burgschaft individueller Charakter-Auffassung liegt in den Zugen beyder Knaben,
und wenn fur mein persónliches Gefiihl vielleicht eben in diesen scharf heruortretenden nationellen
Zugen das minder ansprechende lag — so verdient dieses, mit Geist und Sorgfalt ausgefuhrte, Werk
darum nicht weniger den Beyfall, der ihm von den meisten Beschaucrn ward.
Both, the above review and a note in Morgenblatt fell into oblivion. In the later literaturę
this painting was mentioned twice only; those few printed lines were enough to contain the
3. W. Hiitt, Die Dusseldorfer Malerschule, 1819 — 1869, Leipzig, 1964, p. 14.
4. Sec recently: W. Geismeier, G. Riemann, Deutsche Romanlik. Gemalde — Zcichnungcn, Berlin, 1965, p. 94 — 95.
5. K. Lankheit, Das Freundschaftsbild der Iiomanlik, Heidelberg, 1952, p. 155 — 156. Lankheit believes that this image moves
away from romanticism because of its matter-of-fact presentation of the surrounding.
6. A. von Helwig, „Gemalde von Wilhelm Schadow", Kunsl-Blatt, 1820, No 63, p. 249-251, No 64, p. 253-256. In the
light of this articlc F. V. Boetticher confronts paintings then displayed, Malerwcrke des 19. Jalirhunderts, Leipzig, 1901,
part II, 2, p. 526.
7. A. von Helwig, op. cii., p. 254; Boetticher, op. cit., No 11; Wilhelm von Schadow 1788 — 1862. Geddchlnis-Ausslellung aus.
Anlass seines 100. Todcsjahrcs, Dusseldorf, 1962, No 203.
124
later, to take position of his own, distinct from othcrs. Thus, he attached more importance
to the naturę study tlian other Nazarenes did. He tried to fili the „ideał subject with tlie pulse
of life", and he searched for measure and criteria of truth in the surrounding reality. Finally,
hc also differed from others by being more attracted by colour problems which be tried to solve-
keeping in touch with French fcllows gathered at the Ecole de Rome.3
He used to work slowly, with care so typical for the Nazarenes, finishing his — not too nu-
merous — works in every, however subordinate, detail. His compositions possessed a sinooth,
scmewhat cool and impersonal workmanship, far from differentiation and freedom of the French
represcntatives of Romanticism. The patterns of forms and colours were thoroughly thought.
ovcr, any improvising was entirely cut off, so that nowadays, these paintings are boring by
their artificial perfection. Then, however, they expressed the Nazarene concept of the renewal'
of technical painting skill. They also satisfied the German, and not only German, needs of „ideał
imrges", of a we)] cared-for neatness, of a reasonable economy in the artist's work, of a mild
appeal, internal discipline and order, finally of the precision of painters' craftsmanship. AIthough
we encompass these works within the same stylistic group (that of Romanticism) with the
spcntaneous art of Gćricault and Delacroix, as a matter of fact they are opposed to the others.
This is so because they followed strictly these rules and canons, by which the French romanticists.
nevcr allowed to constrain their paintings.
Schadow did not paint many pictures in Rome. In 1816 — 17 he took part in decorating tbe-
Casa Bartholdy with frescoes; he painted two scenes: Jacob is shown the bloody robe of Joseph
and Joseph explaining dreams to his co-prisoners (both of them in the National Galerie in Berlin
now).4 He painted several portraits, among others Selfportraił with brother Rudolph and Thorvaldsen,
combining the features of a „romantic portrait of friends" willi the allegory of the link between
painting and sculpture.5 He composed several religious scenes, such as, for example, The Holy
Family in Munich. He made a lot of drawings.
After he returned to Berlin, he was offered a chair in the Academy, then directed by his father,
and he started painting the Bacchanals on the ceiling of the theatre proscenium. Then, in 1820
he arranged an exhibition of his works in his studio, as he wished, for the first time, to show
in a most comprehensive way his achievements and to present the scope of his artistic activity.&
Among others, there could be seen on that show a portrait of the „two sons of a Polish prince,
painted in lifesize on a long panel"7, „not less successful" than the portrait of the three daughter&
of Minister Humboldt. While reviewing the display then, Amalie von Helwig, nee Freiin von
Imhoff, described this painting (what hadn't been noticed by later writers), reproaching
the artist that he emphasized the national character of the boys. This was the comment of Amalie
von Helwig: Die Burgschaft individueller Charakter-Auffassung liegt in den Zugen beyder Knaben,
und wenn fur mein persónliches Gefiihl vielleicht eben in diesen scharf heruortretenden nationellen
Zugen das minder ansprechende lag — so verdient dieses, mit Geist und Sorgfalt ausgefuhrte, Werk
darum nicht weniger den Beyfall, der ihm von den meisten Beschaucrn ward.
Both, the above review and a note in Morgenblatt fell into oblivion. In the later literaturę
this painting was mentioned twice only; those few printed lines were enough to contain the
3. W. Hiitt, Die Dusseldorfer Malerschule, 1819 — 1869, Leipzig, 1964, p. 14.
4. Sec recently: W. Geismeier, G. Riemann, Deutsche Romanlik. Gemalde — Zcichnungcn, Berlin, 1965, p. 94 — 95.
5. K. Lankheit, Das Freundschaftsbild der Iiomanlik, Heidelberg, 1952, p. 155 — 156. Lankheit believes that this image moves
away from romanticism because of its matter-of-fact presentation of the surrounding.
6. A. von Helwig, „Gemalde von Wilhelm Schadow", Kunsl-Blatt, 1820, No 63, p. 249-251, No 64, p. 253-256. In the
light of this articlc F. V. Boetticher confronts paintings then displayed, Malerwcrke des 19. Jalirhunderts, Leipzig, 1901,
part II, 2, p. 526.
7. A. von Helwig, op. cii., p. 254; Boetticher, op. cit., No 11; Wilhelm von Schadow 1788 — 1862. Geddchlnis-Ausslellung aus.
Anlass seines 100. Todcsjahrcs, Dusseldorf, 1962, No 203.
124