Seidler, Louise |
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BORN 15 May 1786, Jena, Thüringen - DIED 7 Oct 1866, Weimar, Thüringen GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Historischer Friedhof, Poseckscher Garten |
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Louise Seidler was educated in Gotha and Jena. In 1806 she was engaged to marry the French physician Geoffrey, who had come with the troops of General Bernadotte. But before the marriage could take place he was ordered to go to Spain where he soon died from a fever. Her parents sent her to Dresden to recover from the grief and there she decided to become a painter. In 1811 she studied at the Academy in Dresden under C.L. Vogel and G. von Kügelgen. She made herself a name by copying renaissance paintings and by her portraits. As early as 1811 she portrayed Goethe, who encouraged and befriended her. With his letter of introduction she left for Munich in 1817 and there she studied at the Academy under Robert von Langer. Thanks to Goethe she received a stipend from Karl August, Duke of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach to go to Italy. In Rome she lived at Monte Pincio, where Julius Schnorr von Carelsfeld and Philipp Veit also resided. In 1819 she lived in Naples for several months and in the fall of 1820 she went to Florence, returning to Rome at the end of 1821. The works by Raphael that she copies in Rome and Florence were reated among the best available. After she returned from Italy in 1823 she lived in Weimar until her death in 1866. After her feather died in 1824 she wanted to live in Italy again, but after she was appointed custodian of the collection of paintings of the Duke she stayed in Weimar. In 1832 she undertook a new voyage to Italy and she stayed there for a year. There she knew Friedrich Preller, who influenced her work. In 1835 she was appointed court painter, but in later years she lost her position because she was a woman. Later in life her work was less in demand by the public and when her eyesight worsened she was no longer able to work. Her autobiography "Erinnerungen aus dem Lebe der Malerin Louise Seidler" was published in 1873. Related persons • drew Arnim, Gisela von • knew Friedrich, Caspar David • painted Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von • was pupil of Kügelgen, Gerhard von • corresponded with Veit, Philipp • was pupil of Vogel, Christian Leberecht |
| Images |
 The grave of Louise Seidler at the Friedhof vor dem Frauenturm, Weimar. Picture by androom (21 May 2006) |
Sources • Dressler, Roland & Jochen Klauss, Weimarer Friedhöfe, Böhlau Verlag, Weimar, 1996 • Louise Seidler – Wikipedia • http://www.artnet.com/library/07/0774/T077431.asp |
