Spitzweg, Carl

Spitzweg, Carl (kärl shpĭts`vĕk), 1808–85, German genre painter and draftsman. Self-taught, he depicted the daily life of his native Munich in small, charming pictures in which realism, fancy, and humor are happily combined. Characteristic are The Poor Poet, Two Hermits, and Scholar in the Attic. He contributed many delightful drawings to the humorous periodical Fliegende Blätter.

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Spitzweg, Carl 

Born Feb. 4, 1808, in Munich; died there Sept. 23, 1885. German painter and graphic artist; one of the greatest representatives of the Biedermeier style.

A self-taught artist, Spitzweg painted scenes from the lives of city dwellers and idyllic landscapes. He is most famous for his small genre paintings, such as The Widower (New Pinakothek, Munich), Serenade (Schackgallerie, Munich), and The Hypochondriac (Schackgallerie, Munich). These subtly poetic works by Spitzweg are distinguished by warm humor; drawing on characteristic human types and details from everyday life, they are noted for their expressive use of color.

REFERENCES

Höhne, E. Carl Spitzweg, 2nd ed. Leipzig, 1972.
Jensen, J. C. Carl Spitzweg. Cologne, 1975.