New-York tribune., 1867-03-29
OBITUARY.
PETER Won CoRNELruS.

PETER Won CoRNELIuS
OF the three men who gave the Academy of Paint
ing at Dusseldorf life and to whom the Art OF
Painting In Germany, owes its revival after years Oh
dullness, second has just died full OF years anu
honor. Won Schadow departed in 1851 at the age OF
70 and Cornelius died on Wednesday, the 9th lnst'
at Berlin. in his SOth year. Overlook, born in the
same year with Won Schadow tl7S9), still lives at
Rome and still works, the last survivor OF group
whose influence art, whether for good OF EVIL mas
been as strongly and as widely dltllseu as 'aI vi vi
any three men. not men of genius, at any perlOu
I'm the history of the world Peter Won COIneus was
born at Dusseldorf Sept l6 1lSI. lie was the son
Of panteran early showed strong d aS enrped
siderab sums by illustrating almanacs ana Other
chcap publications. Meanwhile he kept his eye upon
higher aim, and studying tie WORKS ol 'I, dol
signs from memory. At the age OF sixteen he lost
his father and feeling the necessity OF earning money
for the support of his widowed mother determined 10
renoHnce all thought of becoming an artist, but his
mother would not consent to the sacrifice. Good ana
noble woman that she was she preferred 10 struggl9
with the narrowness OF her lou Iather tnah W Jo"P
In isiI the Young Cornelius went to Rome having
already given proof of his ability by painting the IN
terror of the cupola of the Church at Neuss AL Rome
he was ioined by Won SChadOw and by OyerDeck ana
the three young worked with fervor ana energy
painting together in several series OF plcturesII
amOug Others History of Joseph for the pal
ace of NJ BarthOldy, Embassador OF Prussia. Here,
too he designed his illustrations to the SDeiunsG;n
Lied which, more than any other work OF Ms, ilauo .
his name known in Germany. He proposed also y
series OF illustrations in fresco to the Comedy"
Of Dante, but Ind only made the designs when y, ne
was invited to Munich by the Crown Prince OF ia,
vain eftoTSsard King Louis At Munich he remained
several years, and executed at the cOmnlahu ol my
King many memorable works lie hiied Muhlch men
with frescOes In the Academy Of Fine Arts he deco
rated two halls in the Glyptothek or sculpture gar
lery with frescoes, where subjects were drawn from
the Greek mythology. After brief Visit TO DIssei-
dorf where he was made director OF the academy u,
he returned TO Berlin and began the decoration o1
the Pinacothek picture gallery with series ol
frescoes illustrating the history OF plgi IfoaD a aio
the largest of which is the Last JuGgnen'Ss So
the largest painting in the world, Delng g ho %S
feet high and 80 feet wide In tins work ne
entered the lists with Michael Angelo, and dared 10
compete with him field where nYalfy Woulu
seem ridicnlous But Cornelius, If he has not maze
Angelo forgotten. has at least made ilimSeI rcInel
hered Inv this vast work which remains his greatest
monument. After long residence III Munich COrnc.
us and King Louis became eStranged, anu tHe aItrio
took up his residence in Berlin, where Frederic
| William made him director OF the Acadelhy; anu anu
charged him with the painting OF the campo Sul,o'
lie never returned to Munich, although ne must nave
often regretted whatever necessity dIoN9 nm nm %
that city where he lived so happily, Ming IN tnc
Kingdom of his art. Oi the three rest0Iers OF te az
| of Painting in modern Germany whose haine9 haNc
! oco,ired a European reputation, Cornelius un-
| doubtcdy was the strongest Ills oIlRlhditl Nao
! hampered not stimulated by his early devotion 10
Ronhael Angelo and the Antique art, but II was not
utterly Killed by it, as that OF his fellow pupil
! Overlook whose style grows ever more thii,l
and colorless, and whose small ons Tt Sea,s S,oIs
| of ideas has not lasted HIM Tor slAty years
| yithont n process of dilutOn that has long
since deprived them of all flavor Yet il Overlook
has little deserved to be called the Raphael OF Ger
man art Cornelius rs little deserved the title OF It's
! Angelo lie had in excess the German tendency TO
sniectivity Of treatment and believed that he was
producing art when he WAS painting cohFehtlohttl y
f;gnrS nieccs by the acre Stll though he has lett
mo work of universal interest and must ever bt niue
more than notable name 10 the world M large IL Is
not 10 be- denied that he secured an abdihP P1c III
tbc ffactousof his native Germany by hlscnthuNaSul
for her early history; and perhaps not lss by 'nP
/ povcrful stimulus his energy and activity gave 'o
EeYmou ort which owes no doubt 10 him ia greatest
measure the nigh position 1t has taken III the last ~
|