Karl
Ferdinand Sohn

1805−1867

Biography and information

Karl Ferdinand Sohn (German: Karl Ferdinand Sohn; December 10, 1805, Berlin - November 25, 1867, Cologne) - German painter, author of historical paintings and portraitist, one of the founders of the Düsseldorf school.
He studied at the Berlin Academy, then in the private workshop of Wilhelm Schadow and, together with him, moved to Düsseldorf in 1826. After traveling to the Netherlands and spending some time in Italy, he returned to Düsseldorf and received in 1833 a professorship at the local academy, which he held for the rest of his life. He thus became one of the founders of the Düsseldorf school of painting, to whom most of his contemporaries owe their development. One of Zohn's pupils in Düsseldorf was a famous artist, who combined in his work features of romanticism and early symbolism, the nephew of the philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach - Anselm Feuerbach (Anselm Feuerbach, September 12, 1829 - January 4, 1880).
The beauty and roundness of the composition, the correctness and expressiveness of the drawing and the elegance of the brush are the main advantages of his paintings, which were highly valued in their time. His colors are not distinguished by special warmth and brilliance, but very harmonious and give a highly plastic impression. Of his best works in the historical genus can be called: "Rinaldo and Armida" (1827), "Gilas, carried away by nymphs in the water" (1829; in the Berlin National Museum), "Two Leonors" (1834), "Romeo and Juliet" (1836) and "Lorelei" (1853). Subtle characterization of the portrayed faces and amazing elegance of execution - the distinctive qualities of portraits of the work of this artist. In the last years of his life, Zohn preferred in his work sensual naturalism, which he expressed in numerous portraits of women.
Carl Ferdinand Sohn had two sons who also became artists - Paul Eduard Richard Sohn (1834-1912) and Carl Rudolph Sohn (1845-1908), also known as Carl Sohn the Younger. His nephew and pupil Wilhelm Sohn (1830-1899) was also a well-known painter. His daughter Maria (1841-1893) became the wife of the German painter Karl Hoff. His famous pupils include Gunnar Brynjolf Wennerberg.