Philipp Friedrich von Hetsch

Philipp Friedrich von Hetsch (10 September 1758, Stuttgart - 31 December 1838, Stuttgart) was a German Classical painter, known primarily for his portraits, although he also created historical and mythological scenes.

Biography

His father was a musician at the court in Württemberg. At the age of thirteen, without the knowledge of his parents, he applied and was accepted at the Karlsschule Stuttgart Karlsschule, where he studied with the painters Nicolas Guibal and Adolf Friedrich Harper. Originally, he focused on landscape painting. His love of the theater brought him into contact and eventually a friendship with Friedrich Schiller.

With the approval of his instructors, at the age of 22, he went to Paris, where he was accepted as a student by Joseph Marie Vien and Claude Joseph Vernet. Later that year, was appointed a court painter to Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg. He returned to Stuttgart after two years.

In 1785, with financial support from the court, he was able to undertake further studies in Rome, where he spent time copying the Old Masters. He became a Professor at the Karlsschule in 1790 but, after the death of Duke Charles, the school was disbanded. In 1798, Hetsch was able to replace Harper as the Director of the Ducal Picture Gallery; holding that position until 1816.

In 1808, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Crown, which entitled him to add a non-hereditary "von" to his name.Königlich Württembergisches Hof- und Staatshandbuch 1815, Seite 37

In 1787, he married Louise Scholl (1766-1800), the daughter of a church councilor. Four of their five children died young. The surviving son became the architect, Gustav Friedrich Hetsch. After her death, he married Charlotte Fischer (1778–1826), daughter of the Hofbaumeister (court builder) Reinhard Heinrich Ferdinand Fischer. They had one son.

Selected portraits

File:Ludwig Eugen von Württemberg.JPG, Louis Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
File:Philipp Friedrich von Hetsch - Schiller als Regimentarzt (1781-1782).jpg, Friedrich Schiller as a Regimental Doctor
File:Ferdinand Zeppelin Familie.jpg, Ferdinand Ludwig von Zeppelin and his Family
File:Ida Brun with her mothers bust.jpg, Ida Brun with the Bust of her Mother, Friederike Brun
Philipp Friedrich von Hetsch Portrait of Gottlieb Christian Heigelen as a Hunter.jpg, Gottlieb Christian Heigelin as a Hunter

References

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Further reading

* Werner Fleischhauer: ''Philipp Friedrich Hetsch - Ein Beitrag zur Kunstgeschichte Württembergs.'' Hugo Matthaes Verlag, Stuttgart 1929

External links

ArtNet: More works by Von Hetsch.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hetsch, Philipp Friedrich von
18th-century German painters
18th-century German male artists
German male painters
19th-century German painters
19th-century German male artists
Artists from Stuttgart
1758 births
1839 deaths
German portrait painters
Court painters