Carl von Marr

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BORN: 1858, Milwaukee

DIED: 1936, Munich, Germany)

Carl von Marr was born in Milwaukee in 1858. In his teens, Marr was taught by the so-called “Father of Wisconsin Art”, Henry Vianden. He continued his studies in Germany, entering the Royal Academy in Weimar in 1875 before transferring to the Academy in Berlin and then to the Academy in Munich, where he studied under Otto Seitz and won a sketch competition in January of 1880.

Von Marr returned to Milwaukee in the spring of 1880, but soon realized he couldn’t make a living as an artist there. As a result, he moved to Boston the following year and worked for the publisher of Harpers Magazine to earn his way back to Germany. In 1882, Von Marr found himself in Munich once again and would continue to live there for the remainder of his life returning to the United States to exhibit and curate including for the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. The same year of the fair, he began teaching at the Royal Academy of Munich and by 1919 was appointed Director.

In 1909, the artist was awarded the nobiliary particle, “von” and in 1929, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was also knighted by Germany and Italy.

Von Marr painted in a variety of styles including Impressionism, Symbolism, and Academic Realism. He was also known to have painted portraits and historical paintings, and to have created decorative arts.

SOURCES:

Museum of Wisconsin Art, “Carl von Marr,” http://www.wisconsinart.org/collections/carl-von-marr.aspx and Archives, http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/carl-von-marr/profile-127.aspx.

Photo Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1925, via Wisconsin Historical Society.