Portret van Peter von Cornelius c. 1829 - 1840

This is Carl Mayer’s portrait of Peter von Cornelius, rendered as a detailed engraving. Cornelius was a hugely influential figure in 19th-century German art. He sought to revive grand-scale religious painting, aligning himself with the Nazarene movement. Mayer’s portrait provides insight into the image-making apparatus around Cornelius, a key figure in academic painting, and tells us something about the institutions that upheld his work. Made in Germany, the print reproduces Cornelius's likeness, solidifying his status through wide distribution. Consider the cultural forces at play: the rise of nationalism, the revival of religious art, and the academic system that shaped artistic careers. To fully understand this image, we need to consider these contexts. Research into the print market, art academies, and the Nazarene movement would reveal the complex web of social and institutional forces that gave this image its meaning.