Friedrich von Schiller. Geb. 11. Nov. 1759. gest. 9. Mai 1805.

Title

Friedrich von Schiller. Geb. 11. Nov. 1759. gest. 9. Mai 1805.

Bust portrait of Friedrich von Schiller in a half-profile from the right on a dark background. The lithography comes from the König-Ludwig-Album, which was given as a gift in 1850 to the Bavarian King Ludwig I by renowned artists. It reproduces a painting by the Munich court painter Josef Stieler on a decorative sheet. After the original drawing by A. Arnst.

ca. 1850

Artist

Stieler (1781-1858)

Josef Stieler (1781–1858) was a famous German painter, best known as the court painter in Munich. He was renowned for his portraits of important personalities of his time. His portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven is especially famous and remains one of the most well-known images of the composer today. Stieler was born in Mainz and later worked at the court of the Bavarian King Ludwig I. There, he created many portraits of members of the royal family, artists, scientists, and other notable figures. His works are characterized by very detailed and realistic depictions.

Historical Description

He grew up in modest circumstances and later attended the military academy Karlsschule in Stuttgart, where he initially studied medicine. Schiller had his literary breakthrough in 1782 with the drama “The Robbers”, a powerful outcry against social injustice and tyranny. Because of his rebellious attitude, he was persecuted by the Württemberg government and fled Stuttgart – living for several years as a freelance writer under difficult conditions. In the following years, he wrote other significant plays such as “Intrigue and Love” and “Don Carlos”. From the 1790s onward, he increasingly turned to philosophy and historical writing, producing works like the “History of the Thirty Years’ War.” A major turning point was his friendship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which began in 1794. Together, they shaped the Weimar Classicism, an era that emphasized humanity, beauty, and harmony. Among Schiller’s most famous later works are the classical dramas “Wallenstein”, “Mary Stuart”, “The Maid of Orleans”, “William Tell”, as well as the poem “Ode to Joy”, which was later set to music by Beethoven in his 9th Symphony. Friedrich Schiller died at the age of only 45. Despite his short life, he is regarded as one of the greatest poets and thinkers in German literary history.