Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 15 works by August Seidel in our catalogue
In short
If you know one August Seidel painting, it's probably Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee (1854), which hangs in the Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich. In the Isartal near Großhesselohe (1852) and Forest Landscape with Waterfall (1850) round out the three pieces people recognise right away. Our catalogue has 15 works by August Seidel. Below are the 13 people know best, each with its year, where to find it and what makes it special.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by August Seidel | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 9 | Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee, In the Isartal near Großhesselohe, Thunderstorm Landscape |
Pick a decade to see its standout piece.
Top of the list is Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee (1854), Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich. Right behind it: In the Isartal near Großhesselohe (1852) and Forest Landscape with Waterfall (1850).
34 years old. August Seidel was born in 1820, and Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee dates from 1854.
Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee, In the Isartal near Großhesselohe, Forest Landscape with Waterfall, Thunderstorm Landscape, Mountain Valley, Landscape in Stormy Mood, Harvest Landscape with the Wendelstein in the Evening Sun, Upper Bavarian Landscape with Chapel, Thunderstorm Landscape with Hunters Returning Home and Winter landscape.. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.
We have 15 works by August Seidel in our catalogue, dated 1850 to 1904.
You'll find most of them in Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich). The museum list above has the full breakdown.
In 1850s, more than any other time: 5 of the 13 pieces on this page date from then, Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee among them.
The earliest piece here is Forest Landscape with Waterfall (1850); the most recent is Venice, A Moonlit Night over the Santa Maria Salute (1904).
You can see 9 of the pieces on this page at the Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich, including Viaduct near Diessen am Ammersee, In the Isartal near Großhesselohe and Thunderstorm Landscape.
Yes. Every painting on this page is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print, in the size that suits you. Just open the painting's page to order.
In the heart of nineteenth-century Bavaria, a period defined by a profound reverence for the natural world, August Mauritius Seidel emerged as a vital voice in the landscape tradition. Born in 1820 in Munich, Seidel was more than just a painter; he was a chronicler of light and atmosphere, deeply embedded in the prestigious artistic fabric of his homeland. As the brother of the esteemed painter Franz Seidel, August was destined for a life steeped in pigment and canvas, beginning his formal journey at the Royal Academy of Arts in Munich in 1836. Under the private tutelage of the legendary Carl Rottmann, Seidel learned to look beyond the mere surface of nature, seeking instead the emotional resonance found within the rugged contours of the earth and the fleeting shifts of the sky.
His artistic development was a journey of both geographical and spiritual expansion. While his roots remained firmly planted in the Munich tradition, his eyes wandered far across the European continent. A pivotal study trip to Italy in 1845 allowed him to immerse himself in the classical light and ancient landscapes that had inspired masters for centuries. Later, his visit to Paris in 1863 brought him into contact with the evolving currents of French painting, where the subtle nuances of the Barbizon School and the atmospheric brilliance of John Constable began to weave themselves into his technique. This synthesis of German precision and a more fluid, emotive approach to light allowed Seidel to capture landscapes that felt both structurally sound and poetically transient.
Seidel’s oeuvre is characterized by an extraordinary ability to evoke the temperament of a specific moment. Whether depicting the serene valleys of the Inn or the dramatic, storm-swept vistas of the Alps, his work possesses a palpable sense of presence. His brushwork, often noted for its sensitivity, reflects the influence of the great English landscape tradition, particularly in how he handled the interplay of moisture, shadow, and sunburst. To view a Seidel landscape is to experience the weight of the air and the shifting textures of the terrain.
The technical brilliance of his work can be observed through several key elements:
Throughout his long life, which concluded in 1904, August Seidel maintained a steadfast commitment to the landscape genre, earning him a respected place within the Munich Artists' Association from as early as 1838. His contributions were not merely personal achievements but part of a larger movement that elevated landscape painting to a high level of intellectual and emotional sophistication in Germany. The enduring quality of his vision is evidenced by the presence of his works in some of the world's most prestigious institutions, such as the Neue Pinakothek in Munich and the Städel Museum.
Today, Seidel is remembered as a master of the Munich school, an artist whose work serves as a bridge between the classical landscape traditions of the past and the more emotive, atmospheric explorations of the late nineteenth century. His paintings remain a testament to a time when the natural world was viewed with both scientific curiosity and profound spiritual awe, leaving behind a legacy of beauty that continues to resonate with collectors and art historians alike.
