New 8x10 Photo: Famed German Composer of Music Ludwig van Beethoven Title - Famed German Composer of Music Ludwig van Beethoven Description - A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler of famed German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time. His hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf. Description Source - Library of Congress Year - 1820 SKU - FF-0052