Background
Peter von Cornelius was born in 1784 in Dusseldorf, Germany. His father, who was inspector of the Dusseldorf gallery, died in 1799, and the young Cornelius was stimulated to extraordinary exertions.
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Peter Von Cornelius
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His earliest work of importance was the decoration of the choir of the church of St Quirinus at Neuss.
At the age of twenty-six he produced his designs from Faust.
On October 14, 1811, he arrived in Rome, where he soon became one of the most promising of that brotherhood of young German painters which included Overbeck, Schadow, Veit, Schnorr and Ludwig Vogel (1788 - 1879), -a fraternity (some of whom selected a ruinous convent for their home) who were banded together for resolute study and mutual criticism.
Cornelius, however, soon found that attention to such widely separated duties was incompatible with the just performance of either, and most inconvenient to himself; eventually, therefore, he resigned his post at Diisseldorf to throw himself completely and thoroughly into those works for which he had been commissioned by the crown-prince.
The large fresco of the Last Judgment, over the high altar in that church, measures 62 ft. in height by 38 ft. in width.
Amongst his other great works in Munich may be included his decorations in the Pinakothek and in the Glyptothek; those in the latter building, in the hall of the gods and the hall of the hero-myths, are perhaps the best known.
About the year 1839-1840 he left Munich for Berlin to proceed with that series of cartoons, from the Apocalypse, for the frescoes for which he had been commissioned by Frederick William IV, and which were intended to decorate the Campo Santo or royal mausoleum.
Even as a fresco painter his manipulative power was not great.
But the Italian strain is to a considerable extent modified by the Durer heritage.
This Dtirer influence is manifest in a tendency to overcrowding in composition, in a degree of attenuation in the proportions of, and a poverty of contour in, the nude figure, and also in a leaning to the selection of Gothic forms for draperies.
But notwithstanding these peculiarities there is always in his works a grandeur and nobleness of conception, as all must acknowledge who have inspected his designs for the Ludwigskirche, for the Campo Santo, etc.
The cartoons for the Glyptothek were all by Cornelius's own hand.
Germany was in painting and sculpture behind all the rest of Europe.
Yet in less than half a century Cornelius founded a great school, revived mural painting, and turned the gaze of the art world towards Munich.
The German revival of mural painting haditseffectupon England, as well as upon other European nations, and led to the famous cartoon competitions held in Westminster Hall, and ultimately to the partial decoration of the Houses of Parliament.
When the "latter work was in contemplation, Cornelius, in response to invitations, visited England (November 1841).
His opinion was in every way favourable to the carrying out of the project, and even in respect of the durability of fresco in the climate of England.
Cornelius, in his teaching, always inculcated a close and rigorous study of nature, but he understood by the study of nature something more than what is ordinarily implied by that expression, something more than constantly making studies from life; he meant the study of nature with an inquiring and scientific spirit. "
"The personal appearance of Cornelius could not but convey to those who were fortunate enough to come into contact with him the impression that he was a man of an energetic, firm and resolute nature.
He was below the middle height and squarely built.
There was evidence of power about his broad and overhanging brow, in his eagle eyes and firmly gripped attenuated lips, which no one with the least discernment could misinterpret.
Yet there was a sense of humour and a geniality which drew men towards him; and towards those young artists who sought his teaching and his criticism he always exhibited a calm patience. See Forster, Peter von Cornelius (Berlin, 1874).
Views
Quotations:
“It was at this time
that it was attempted to persuade my mother that it would be better for me to
devote myself to the trade of a goldsmith than to continue to pursue
painting-in the first place, in consequence of the time necessary to qualify me
for the art, and in the next, because there were already so many painters. My dear mother, however,
rejected all this advice, and I felt myself impelled onward by an
uncontrollable enthusiasm, to which the confidence of my mother gave new
strength, which was supported by the continual fear that I should be removed
from the study of that art I loved so much. ”
“Study nature, " was the
advice he once gave, " in order that you may become acquainted with its
essential forms. ”
Personality
The personal appearance of
Cornelius could not but convey to those who were fortunate enough to come into
contact with him the impression that he was a man of an energetic, firm and
resolute nature.
He was
below the middle height and squarely built.
There was
evidence of power about his broad and overhanging brow, in his eagle eyes and
firmly gripped attenuated lips, which no one with the least discernment could
misinterpret.
Yet there
was a sense of humour and a geniality which drew men towards him; and towards
those young artists who sought his teaching and his criticism he always
exhibited a calm patience.
Interests
References
