Eduard von Gebhardt

Eduard von Gebhardt
Eduard von Gebhardt
	Self-portrait (date unknown)
Born	13 June 1838; Järva-Jaani
Died	3 February 1925(aged 86); Düsseldorf
Nationality	Baltic German

Franz Karl Eduard von Gebhardt(13 June 1838 – 3 February 1925) was aBaltic Germanpainter of portraits and historical scenes, and a professor at theKunstakademie Düsseldorf.

Biography

He was born to Ferdinand Theodor von Gebhardt (1803–1869),Provostand member of theConsistorial CouncilinReval,and his wife, Wilhelmine, née Von Glehn (1808–1880). He graduated from the localgymnasiumat sixteen, and enrolled at theImperial Academy of ArtsinSaint Petersburg,where he studied for three years.

He then spent two years travelling, spending some time inKarlsruhe,where he took classes at theAcademy of Fine Arts.He arrived inDüsseldorfin 1860, and became a student ofWilhelm Sohn,who gave him such wholehearted encouragement that he decided to stay there. He settled on a street which was the home of several other artists and their studios.

In 1872, he married a local woman, Klara Jungnick (1851–1897).^[1]The following year, he was named a professor at the Kunstakademie. His best-known students includedOtto BoyerandCarl Schmitz-Pleis.

On the occasion of his seventieth birthday, in 1908, theGalerie Eduard Schulte[de]inBerlinheld a large exhibit of his works. At theGroße Berliner Kunstausstellungof 1918, he was awarded a gold medal. Not long before his death he became anEhrenbürger(Honorary Citizen) of Düsseldorf. He was interred at theNorth Cemetery[de].

His home and studio at Rosenstraße Nr. 41 became a retirement home for the Mutual Aid Association of theVerein der Düsseldorfer Künstler[de].^[2]Streets were named after him inEssenandWuppertal.

Work

Due to his father's profession, he was inclined to religious themes from the beginning. His models were theDutchand German masters of the 15th and 16th centuries, and he strove for arealisticpresentation. It was said that what he gained in truthfulness was a loss for beauty.^[3]

TheRaising of Lazarus

Some of his best-known Biblical scenes are:

"Christ on the Cross" (1866,St Mary's Cathedral, Tallinn)
"The Last Supper" (1870, National Gallery, Berlin)
"Crucifixion" (1873, Hamburg Kunsthalle)
"Ascension of Christ" (1881, National Gallery, Berlin)
"Taking Care of Christ's Body" (1883, Dresden Gallery)
"Jacob and the Angel" (1893, Dresden Gallery)
"Christ and the Rich Youth" (1892, Düsseldorf Gallery)
"Sermon on the Mount" (1893, Düsseldorf Gallery)
"Healing of the Palsied" (1895, Breslau Museum)
"The Raising of Lazarus" (1896,Museum Kunstpalast)

He also painted excellent portraits; making sketches of prototypical peasants, which he drew while visiting Estonia. There, he was a tutor to famous Estonian painters such asAnts Laikmaa,and the brothers,KristjanandPaul Raud.Many of works were considered for inclusion in the series oftrading cardsissued by theStollwerckchocolate company.^[4]