Christoph Heinrich Kniep

Christoph Heinrich Kniep (* 1755 in Hildesheim, † 1825 in Naples) was portrait, vistas and landscape artist.

Initially, he worked as a portrait artist. In 1781 he traveled to Italy and recorded there primarily vistas and landscapes. He became known primarily for his accompaniment Goethe on his Italian Journey (1787 ) from Naples to Sicily, by Goethe's friend JHW Tischbein was mediated. After the separation of Goethe on his return from Sicily Kniep remained in Naples.

There are both Goethe himself and by Kniep pen, red chalk and sepia drawings, watercolors, etc. obtained so that a qualitative comparison of the two is possible. According to Goethe's own judgment Kniep drew the scenery while he schematized on the other hand. In fact, here lies the essential difference in the presentation of Goethe. The landscape and architectural drawings Knieps as, inter alia, of Paestum and Pompeii are characterized by an extraordinary level of detail so that they can be drawn as archaeological documents thoroughly considered.

Tischbein was being a lot to complain about Kniep. Although Kniep worked very carefully so he was predisposed very slow and phlegmatic by Tischbein view. In addition, he sold his drawings usually far below their value. All too enterprising Kniep was so not. He could not bring prosperity to these reasons it well. Even Goethe himself had him even less appreciated for his mental disposition and probably literary education as a comparatively Jakob Philipp Hackert, which he had written a biography. But Knieps drawings, however, he praised highly.