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Carl Friedrich Lessing

1808 - 1880

Quick Facts

  • Art period: 19th Century
  • Also known as:
    • Karl Friedrich Lessing
    • Carl Friedrich Lessing
    • c. f. lessing
    • karl ferdinand lessing
    • prof. carl fried. lessing
  • Top 3 works:
    • Royal Couple Mourning for their Dead Daughter
    • The Crusaders in the Desert
    • The Siege (Defense of a Church Courtyard During the Thirty Years’ War)
  • Works on APS: 33
  • Copyright status: Public domain
  • Museums on APS:
    • Hermitage Museum
    • Kunstpalast
    • Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
  • Born: 1808, Wrocław, Poland
  • Typical colors:
    • earthy
    • neutrals

early life and education

carl friedrich lessing, a renowned german historical and landscape painter, was born on february 15, 1808, in breslau (now wrocław), poland. he was the grandnephew of the esteemed poet and dramaturge gotthold ephraim lessing. lessing's early education laid the foundation for his future artistic pursuits. he studied architecture at the berlin bauakademie in 1822, followed by enrollment at the königlich-preussische akademie der wissenschaften (royal prussian academy of the sciences) from 1823 to 1826.

artistic career and influences

lessing's artistic career was marked by his association with friedrich wilhelm von schadow, under whose guidance he developed his skills in historical painting. in 1830, lessing's works, blending history and landscape elements, earned him recognition as one of the finest artists of the düsseldorf school. his notable paintings include:

leadership and legacy

lessing co-founded the artists' association malkasten (paint box) in 1848. from 1858 until his death in 1880, he served as the director of the grand ducal painting gallery and print collection in karlsruhe. key achievements:
  • first success with a painting at the berlin art exhibition (1826)
  • accepted into schadow's atelier
  • co-founder of malkasten (paint box) artists' association
  • director of the grand ducal painting gallery and print collection in karlsruhe

references and further reading

for more on carl friedrich lessing, explore these links: note: the provided links are from ArtsDot.com and wikipedia, as per the instruction to only include relevant links from these sources.

Questions & Answers

How do I find all works by Carl Friedrich Lessing in a given medium?

The All Medium page groups Carl Friedrich Lessing's artworks by technique.

What are the birthplace and birth year of Carl Friedrich Lessing?

Carl Friedrich Lessing was born in Wrocław in 1808.

How did Carl Friedrich Lessing's art evolve over time?

Carl Friedrich Lessing's career unfolds period by period on the artist's Chronicle page: a horizontal timeline of the artworks, grouped into career-period chapters.

Art Quiz

There is only one correct answer for each question.

Question 1:
Where was Carl Friedrich Lessing born?
Question 2:
With whom did Lessing study at the Düsseldorf School of Painting?
Question 3:
What was Lessing’s notable painting style characterized by?
Question 4:
Lessing co-founded what artist association?
Question 5:
What is Lessing remembered for?