Spitzweg's Works

The works of Carl Spitzweg (born 1808) have become the epitome of Biedermeier's painting and enjoy great popularity today. During his lifetime, however, Spitzweg's art business developed rather slowly. After studying pharmacy, botany, and chemistry, he decided to become a painter without any artistic training. He was able to afford this thanks to a large parental inheritance. He did sell a few works now and then, but he realised: "I can see that if I had to live from painting, I would have a hard time." He probably failed to achieve great success because he did not want to limit himself to the usual romantic depiction of his surroundings.

Instead, despite all the superficial idyll, his works were always slightly ironic studies of his contemporaries. His paintings, even his satirical magazine "Fliegende Blätter", show a fine sense of humour in the absurdities of everyday life in the bourgeoisie and political events. However, Spitzweg was never openly derisive or disparaging but rather hid his comments in cleverly used symbols, double meanings and allusions. That is why it is always worth taking a closer look at Spitzweg's works because sometimes they tell little, humorous stories.