Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (; 15 January 1793 – 23 August 1865) was an Austrian painter. Waldmüller was one of the most important Austrian painters of the Biedermeier period.

Career

In 1807, Waldmüller attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. He lived in Pressburg, Hungary and, in 1811, he worked as a teacher of arts for the children of Count Gyulay in Croatia. He returned to the Academy of Vienna and studied portrait painting. In 1814 he married the singer Katharina Weidner, and subsequently went on tour with her, working as a set designer.

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller was one of the most important Austrian painters of the Biedermeier period. Whether it was the conquest of the landscape and thus the convincing rendering of closeness or distance, the accurate characterisation of the human face, the detailed and refined description of textures, or the depiction of rural everyday life: his works – brilliant, explanatory, moralising, and socially critical – influenced a whole generation of artists. Being an advocate of natural observation and plein air painting, as well as a critic of academic painting, Waldmüller was far ahead of his time. Under the Nazis, 1933–1945, many artworks by Waldmüller were seized from Jewish collectors

and several were channeled to Hitler's planned Führermuseum in Linz.

Claims for restitution of looted Wadlmüller artworks include(d):

  • Children on Their Way Home from School was stolen from Amalie Redlich in Nazi Austria.
  • Little Count Esterhazy was looted from the Bloch-Bauer collection.
  • Bildnis der Familie Gierster was stolen from Franz and Melania Popper.
  • Wiedergenesene was taken from Hermann Eissler.
  • Irma and Oscar Lowenstein for three Walmüllers seized under the anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws for Hitler's planned Linz museum: The Good-Natured Child; Preparing the Celebration of the Wine Harvest, and The Grandparents’ Visit.

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File:Waldmüller - Venezianischer Obstverkäufer.jpeg|Venetian fruit seller (1826)

File:Ferdinand-Georg-Waldmüller-1828.jpg|Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller—self-portrait, detail (1828; age 35)

File:1836 Waldmueller Bildnis Louise Mayer anagoria.JPG|Louise Mayer (1836)

File:1838 Waldmüller Blick auf Ischl anagoria.JPG|View of Ischl (1838)

File:1839 Waldmüller Am Allerseelentag anagoria.JPG|On All Souls' Day (1839)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller 004.jpg|Dachstein (1839)

File:Reception of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolayevich by Prince Metternich in the Vienna Hofburg in 1829, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller.jpg | Reception of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolayevich by Prince Metternich (1839)

File:Waldmüller - Mühle am Ausfluss des Königssees.jpeg|Waterfall (1840)

File:Waldmüller - Junge Dame bei der Toilette.jpeg|Young Lady (1840)

File:1840 Waldmüller Blumenstrauß mit Silbergefäßen und antiker Vase anagoria.JPG|Still life with bouquet, silver vessels and antique vase (1840)

File:1841 Waldmueller Nach der Schule anagoria.JPG|After school (1841)

File:Waldmüller - Emanuel Ritter von Neuwall.jpeg|Emanuel Ritter von Neuwall (1841)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller - Stillleben mit Austern, Fischen und Südfrüchten - 1842.jpg|Still life with oysters, fish and exotic fruit (1842)

File:Waldmüller, Ferdinand Georg - Rosen - 1843.jpg|Roses (1843)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller Sunny Day, 1848.jpg|Sunny Day (1848)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmueller - Der Liebesbrief sRGB.jpg|The love letter (1849)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller - Am Fronleichnamsmorgen (1857).jpg|Am Fronleichnamsmorgen (1857)

File:1858 Waldmueller Kinder im Walde anagoria.JPG|Children in a forest (1858)

File: Waldmüller - Rückkehr von der Kirchweih.jpeg|Return from the Church Fair (1859)

File:Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller - Die Erwartete.jpg|Die Erwartete (The Expected; 1860). Time travel enthusiasts have speculated that this painting depicts a woman holding an iPhone. Art historians have rebutted that the object is a small prayer book common to the era.

File:1864 Waldmueller Vorfruehling Wiener Wald anagoria.JPG|Early spring in Vienna forest (1864)

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See also

  • List of Orientalist artists
  • Orientalism

References

Bibliography

  • Biography, Literature and Works by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller
  • Warum die Nazis an Waldmüller einen Narren gefressen hatten (4 October 2025)