Johann Moritz Rugendas
Johann Moritz Rugendas ( born March 29, 1802 in Augsburg, † May 29 1858 in Weilheim an der Teck in Württemberg) is a native of Augsburg artists of the 19th century and a descendant of the major artists Rugendas family. He traveled for several years in Central and South America. Inspired by Alexander von Humboldt, his goal was to represent the people and their customs in addition to presenting the exotic nature of South America.
Life
Johann Moritz Rugendas was born on March 29, 1802 in Augsburg. He was trained by his father, then by family friend Albrecht Adam and later at the Munich Art Academy.
The operation Rugendas was that he first anfertigte a detailed pencil sketch with notes colourfulness and then a sketch in oil. The combination of this work material he subsequently wrote more oil sketches, and finally worked out a detailed paintings, in which he integrated figurative Masked and scenes. He had practiced a penchant for scientific description and was in the plein air painting. Rugendas could aptly and just hold the different landscapes in all their peculiarities.
At age 19, he was invited by Baron Georg Heinrich von Langsdorf on the most comprehensive scientific expedition to the area now Brazil as a draftsman. His first drawings are therefore purely scientific nature and were used from 1822 in South America. However Rugendas returned after a dispute in 1825 with Langsdorf back to Europe, where he met Alexander von Humboldt in Paris. This was inspired by his works and his life was his friend, mentor and supporter. With Humboldt Help Rugendas brought out the book Voyage dans le Brésil pittoresque with 100 custom built by him lithographs.
1829/1830 he stopped his studies in Italy. But in 1831 he made another trip to America, this time on their own. His goal was Mexico, which he toured for three years and where he devoted himself to landscape painting. From Mexico he went on to Chile, which he toured for eight years. There he worked intensively with the people and their culture history. Since he greatly interested in the American Indian population, he traveled to the south of the continent, which was spared until the second half of the 19th century by the Spanish- colonizing civilization. There he portrayed Indians who came to the border post, and thus provided a detailed description of the people living there. In 1847 he visited Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, and then returned to Brazil.
In March 1847, he reached England. In Paris, he tried unsuccessfully to sell his works. But only at the suggestion of King Ludwig I ( Bavaria ) acquired the Bavarian state in 1848 be America plant, consisting of a collection of 3353 studies - some oil sketches, watercolors partly, partly pencil drawings - for an annual pension. The purchase had been recommended by a commission of the Academy of Sciences, as the collection possess a high scientific and artistic value. Much of this work has been preserved and is now in the National Print Munich.
At the instigation of Alexander von Humboldt King Frederick William IV gave him the Red Eagle Order 3rd class.
On May 29, 1858 Moritz Rugendas died impoverished in Weilheim an der Teck to a ruptured artery of the heart.
Gallery
August Graf von Platen - Hallermünde