Schwind Moritz von (1804 - 1871)

Moritz Ludwig von Schwind (1804 Vienna – 1871 Munich) Schwind attended the Schottengymnasium [an élite Catholic private school], studied philosophy from 1818 and transferred in 1821 to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, where he trained with Leopold Kupelwieser (1796–1862) and Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1788–1853). In 1825 he abandoned his formal studies, continuing as an autodidact, and made contact with the artists' circle around Franz Schubert (1797–1828). From 1828 to 1830 he completed his painting studies with Peter Cornelius (1783–1867) in Munich. His frescos for Hohenschwangau Castle (which he worked on in Venice in 1835) date from 1834 to 1836. In 1847 He was appointed professor at the Munich Academy. His life is accentuated by frescos, as in the library in the Munich Residenz (1832–1834), Kunsthalle Karlsruhe (1839–1840), Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main (1844–1847), Wartburg Castle in Eisenach (1853–1855) and Vienna Opera House (1866–1867). In 1855 Schwind was knighted in Austria. Internationally recognised, he was a member of the Dresden, Vienna and Berlin Academies and of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His extensive and diverse œuvre includes the stained-glass windows in Glasgow Cathedral (1858–1864), those in St Michael's Church in London (1861–1863, demolished in 1960), three large fairy-tale series and his Travel Pictures.

Author: Ducke Astrid

Literature: Translated catalogue text from (Translation: Gail Schamberger MA, Salzburg): Ducke Astrid: Der Kuss der Musen. Festspiele göttlicher Inspiration. Ausstellung Residenzgalerie Salzburg, DomQuartier Salzburg 20.2.2020-10.1.2021. Salzburg 2020, S. 105, 106