German painter, draughtsman of French origin. He studied at the Academy of arts of Berlin (1799). He visited Paris, where he studied the works of Italian painters, especially Raphael. From 1811 he worked in Italy, closer to the time Nazarene works. He had a Studio near the Plaza of Spain. In 1824 he made a trip to Pompei, Paestum, Salerno, Naples (French archaeologist A. A. Ground). Performed drawings for publication on the monuments of Pompeii (Descriptions des tombeaux qui ont été découverts à Pompei dans l'année 1812 (1813, Naples). He converted to Catholicism, marrying an Italian. In 1816-1817 he participated in the decoration of the Palace of the Prussian Consul in Rome S. Bartholdy (Casa Bartholdy). In Naples he became friends with Giacinto Gigante, was influenced by masters of the "Scuola Grande di Posillipo". From 1826 with Gigante was working on a graphic series of landscapes Scenic journey to the Kingdom of the two Sicilies (Viattico pittoresco nel Regno delle Due Sicilie), published by R. Liberatore in Naples in 1834. Like J. C. Dahl, wrote the types of mount Vesuvius. The flavor of Roman life vividly conveys the famous painting of CATEL Prince Ludwig of Bavaria in Spanish trattoria in Rome (1824, Munich, State. Bavarian art collection). At the Roman landscape, visible through the open door, depicts Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria, B. Thorvaldsen, time Nazarene works. shnorr von Carlsfeld, K. F. Faure, adviser and physician of the Prince — Dr Ramsey. At trattoria don Raffaele Anglada on the Ripa Grande, Northern artists were under the patronage of the Prince Ludwig was going for a glass of Spanish wine. In 1819 CATEL took part in the first joint exhibition of the time Nazarene works in Rome, Palazzo Caffarelli. Roman life devoted to his painting of Schinkel in Naples (Berlin, NAT. gallery). The famous German architect depicted on the background of the open garden window (this motif is loved artists-romance), next to him the attribute of Roman life Greek vase from the collection of Consul Bartholdy. Typical scene from Roman life passed on canvas Roman pifferari (1820-1825, private collection). As picturesque Neapolitan works of CATEL (View of Naples from the window, 1824, Cleveland Art Museum; Neapolitan fisherman and his daughter, Copenhagen, Thorvaldsen's Museum), which also present a romantic image acquisition of a landscape visible through an open window or door. Like the time Nazarene works, CATEL lot of drawing in Italy, worked in watercolors. The shape of the famous Roman artist's model Vittoria, Caldoni passes drawing the Portrait of V. Kaldani (private collection). Often in the schedule of the artist the image of the Villa Malta, owned by the monks of the Church of trinità dei Monti. In 1827 it was acquired by Prince Ludwig. Villa got its name from the name of the Ambassador of Malta John. L. Boilly de of Breteuil, who lived on it in 1775-1777. Here there were many famous historical figures of the era (herder, B. Thorvaldsen, the family von Humboldt, etc.). In the drawings of CATEL shows the types of Villa from different parts of Rome, most often from the terraces of the house on via Sistina, where we also see the monastery of San Isidoro, where, as in the Villa Malta, lived in a different time, the time Nazarene works.
