Victor Müller

Victor Müller prints bring together the paintings and drawings of a Frankfurt artist who brought Courbet's realism to Germany. Müller loved poetry and the stage, and painted Hamlet, Ophelia, Titania and Bottom, Hero and Leander and sleeping wood nymphs in rich, glowing colour. Our collection of fine art prints includes his finished paintings and a large group of his figure studies and sketches.

About Victor Müller

Victor Müller was born in the Free City of Frankfurt on 29 March 1829. He began his studies under Eduard von Steinle at the Frankfurt art school, continued them in Antwerp and in 1849 went to Paris, where he stayed for eleven years. There he studied the methods of Thomas Couture, Eugène Delacroix and Gustave Courbet, and became a follower of Courbet, helping to promote his technique in Germany.

In 1858 he returned to Frankfurt, where his realistic, richly coloured pictures attracted attention but puzzled a public used to the sentimental Düsseldorf style. In 1866 he moved to Munich, where his bolder work, such as the Wood Nymph and Hero and Leander, found more understanding. For the castle of Kronberg in the Taunus he painted scenes from the life of the knight Hartmut von Kronberg.

In 1868 he married Ida Scholderer, the sister of the painter Otto Scholderer. He died in Munich on 21 December 1871, aged only 42, leaving his last picture, Faust on a Stroll, unfinished.

Style and Subjects

Müller's paintings have a literary, poetic character. Many come from Shakespeare and from old stories: Hamlet and Horatio in the churchyard, Ophelia by the brook, Titania and Bottom, Romeo and Juliet, Tannhäuser and Hero and Leander. His colour is warm and strong, at times almost extravagant, and his figures have the solid, real presence he learned from Courbet.

Alongside the paintings stand many drawings: studies of nude figures, drapery, hands and heads made while planning his big compositions. They show a confident, searching line and are a fine way to see how a nineteenth-century painter built a picture.

Famous Works

• Hamlet and Horatio in the Churchyard (1868), Städel Museum, Frankfurt. Hamlet and his friend Horatio in the graveyard scene from Shakespeare's play.
• Ophelia (1869), Städel Museum, Frankfurt. Ophelia by the brook, painted in soft, glowing colour.
• Nymph (Wood Nymph) (1862), Städel Museum, Frankfurt. A sleeping nymph in the forest, one of the bold pictures that made his name.
• Titania and Bottom. The fairy queen with Bottom in the shape of a donkey, from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• Portrait of Berta von Radowitz as a Young Girl (1863), Städel Museum, Frankfurt. A quiet, direct portrait of a young girl.
• Pinscher Puss (1863), Städel Museum, Frankfurt. A small dog painted with affection and realism.
• Judgement of Paris (1850), National Museum in Warsaw. An early mythological scene from his Paris years.

Decorating with Müller Prints

Müller's Shakespeare scenes suit a library, study or reading room, where their literary subjects feel at home. Hamlet and Horatio or Titania and Bottom in a dark gilt frame make a fine talking point above a bookcase or fireplace.

The figure studies and sketches look good in groups in a hallway, studio or bedroom, in simple oak or black frames with pale mounts. The portrait of Berta von Radowitz and the little dog Pinscher Puss are gentle choices for a living room or a child's room.

FAQ

Who was Victor Müller?

Victor Müller (1829–1871) was a German painter from Frankfurt who studied in Paris, followed Gustave Courbet and helped bring realist painting to Germany.

What art movement was Victor Müller part of?

He was a realist in the circle of Courbet, and his colour influenced the younger painters of the Munich School.

What are Victor Müller's most famous paintings?

Hamlet and Horatio in the Churchyard, Ophelia, the Wood Nymph, Hero and Leander and his scenes from the life of Hartmut von Kronberg.

Where can I see Victor Müller's paintings?

The Städel Museum in Frankfurt holds several of his works, including Hamlet and Horatio in the Churchyard, Ophelia and Nymph. The Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin holds his Salome.

How was Victor Müller related to Otto Scholderer?

In 1868 Müller married Ida Scholderer, the sister of the Frankfurt painter Otto Scholderer.

Related Artists

• Gustave Courbet: the French realist whose method he followed
• Otto Scholderer: Frankfurt painter and his brother-in-law
• Eduard von Steinle: his first teacher in Frankfurt
• Thomas Couture: Paris painter whose methods he studied
• Wilhelm Leibl: Munich realist of the next generation