Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur (1780-1857) emerges from the annals of art history not primarily as a studio painter seeking aesthetic revolution, but as a soldier-artist whose keen eye and diligent hand preserved for posterity one of the most harrowing military campaigns in European history: Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. His work offers a raw, immediate, and deeply human counterpoint to the often-glorified and propagandistic depictions of war prevalent in his time. This exploration delves into his life, his unique artistic contribution, his representative works, and his place within the broader artistic landscape of the Napoleonic era and 19th-century Germany.
Early Life and Military Inclinations
Born in Stuttgart, the capital of the Duchy (later Kingdom) of Württemberg, on August 18, 1780, Christian Wilhelm Faber du Faur was destined for a life intertwined with the tumultuous military and political currents of his age. The son of Otto Heinrich von Faber du Faur, a colonel and chamberlain, and Friederike, née Vischer, young Christian Wilhelm was immersed in a milieu where military service was a path of honor and duty. His upbringing likely provided him with a solid education, which would have included drawing, a common skill for gentlemen and particularly useful for military officers for tasks like cartography and reconnaissance sketching.
His formal military career commenced in 1809 when he joined the Württemberg army. This was a period when Württemberg, as part of the Confederation of the Rhine, was allied with Napoleonic France. Faber du Faur's talents were recognized, and he rose through the ranks, specializing in artillery – a branch of service that demanded precision, mathematical understanding, and a strategic overview of the battlefield. These very qualities would later inform his meticulous approach to visual documentation.
The Russian Campaign of 1812: A Crucible for Art
The defining chapter of Faber du Faur's life and artistic legacy was undoubtedly his participation in Napoleon's catastrophic invasion of Russia in 1812. As an artillery officer, specifically a lieutenant in the 25th (Württemberg) Division of Marshal Ney's III Corps of the Grande Armée, he was an eyewitness to the grand, tragic sweep of the campaign. From the initial advance into Russian territory, through major engagements like the Battle of Smolensk and the horrific Battle of Borodino, to the occupation of Moscow and the subsequent disastrous retreat, Faber du Faur was present.
What set him apart was his unwavering commitment to documenting what he saw. Almost daily, amidst the chaos, deprivation, and brutality of war, he made sketches. These were not grand, idealized compositions but rather immediate, on-the-spot visual notes capturing the reality of military life: the bivouacs, the marches, the skirmishes, the suffering of soldiers from hunger and extreme cold, the desolation of the landscape, and the grim aftermath of battle. His position as an officer likely afforded him slightly better conditions than the average soldier, perhaps allowing him the minimal time and materials needed for his artistic endeavors.
His sketches became a visual diary, a testament to the resilience and the fragility of human life under extreme duress. He depicted the burning of Smolensk, the fierce fighting for the Raevsky Redoubt and Bagration's flèches at Borodino, the eerie emptiness of Moscow, and the nightmarish scenes of the retreat, including the perilous crossing of the Berezina River. These images are invaluable for their historical accuracy and their unvarnished portrayal of events.
Artistic Style and Techniques: The Veracity of an Eyewitness
Faber du Faur's style is characterized by its documentary realism and meticulous attention to detail. His primary concern was not aesthetic innovation in the manner of contemporary Romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich or the dramatic flair of French Napoleonic painters such as Antoine-Jean Gros. Instead, his work aligns more with a tradition of military reportage, albeit executed with considerable artistic skill.
His initial sketches, made in the field, were likely rapid pencil or ink drawings, capturing the essence of a scene. After the campaign, upon his return, he painstakingly transformed these raw visual notes into more finished watercolors and drawings. These works retain the immediacy of their origins but are enhanced with color and greater compositional refinement. The colors are often subdued, reflecting the grim realities he depicted, particularly in the scenes of the winter retreat.
There is an honesty in his depictions; he does not shy away from the gruesome aspects of war – the dead and dying, the exhausted and frostbitten soldiers, the skeletal horses. Yet, there is also a sense of order and observation that comes from his military training. His understanding of troop formations, artillery emplacements, and the general conduct of warfare lends an authenticity to his battle scenes that is often missing in more romanticized portrayals by artists who lacked firsthand experience. His work can be compared to that of other soldier-artists of the period, such as Major John H. St. Evremonde of the British army or the French officer Louis-François Lejeune, who also documented their experiences, though perhaps with differing artistic emphasis.
Representative Works and Publications: "Mit Napoleon in Russland"
The most significant body of Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur's work is the collection of drawings and watercolors from the 1812 campaign. Recognizing their historical and artistic value, these were later translated into lithographs. Between 1831 and 1843, a series of these lithographs, often hand-colored, were published under the title Blätter aus meinem Portefeuille, im Laufe des Feldzugs 1812 in Russland, an Ort und Stelle gezeichnet (Leaves from my Portfolio, Sketched on the Spot during the Campaign of 1812 in Russia). This collection, later more famously known through editions titled Napoleon's Feldzug in Russland 1812 or Mit Napoleon in Russland, comprises around 100 plates.
Among these, several stand out:
"The Burning of Smolensk": Captures the chaotic and destructive nature of urban warfare.
"The Battle of Borodino": Specifically, his depictions of the fighting around Bagration's flèches, offering a ground-level view of the intense combat.
"Bivouac near Mozhaysk after Borodino": Illustrates the exhaustion and grim reality for soldiers even after a "victory."
"French Army Entering Moscow": Shows the Grande Armée marching into a largely deserted city, a prelude to the fires that would engulf it.
"Retreat from Moscow – Crossing the Berezina": Perhaps some of his most poignant images, conveying the desperation and immense suffering of the retreating army in the depths of the Russian winter. One specific plate, "Battle near Oshmyany, December 4, 1812," shows soldiers in heavy winter clothing struggling through deep snow, a vivid testament to the harsh conditions.
These works are characterized by their narrative clarity and their focus on the collective experience of the soldiers rather than individual heroic figures, a contrast to the approach of artists like Jacques-Louis David in his earlier, more propagandistic Napoleonic portraits. The human cost of war is always palpable in Faber du Faur's scenes. His work found an important parallel in the efforts of German contemporary Albrecht Adam, who also accompanied the Grande Armée in 1812 (with the Bavarian contingent) and produced a vast number of sketches and paintings documenting the campaign with similar dedication to realism.
Later Military Career and Recognition
Remarkably, Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur was one of the few Württemberg soldiers to survive the Russian campaign. Of the approximately 15,000 Württembergers who marched into Russia, only a few hundred returned. His survival was a testament to his resilience and perhaps a measure of fortune. For his service and bravery, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the French Legion of Honour, a significant recognition.
He continued his military career in the Württemberg army after the Napoleonic Wars. His experience and abilities led to further promotions. By 1832, he was a colonel and commander of an artillery regiment. In 1841, he was promoted to the rank of Major General. His distinguished service culminated in his appointment as Württemberg's military representative to the German Federal Military Commission in Frankfurt, a responsible position within the German Confederation's defense structure. He was also honored with the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, which conferred personal nobility, hence the "von" in his name becoming more consistently used. He retired from active service in 1851.
Throughout his later military career, he continued to refine his sketches from 1812 and oversee their publication. His work gained recognition not just for its historical value but also for its artistic merit. He became a member of the Württemberg Art Association, indicating his continued engagement with the artistic community. His works were exhibited, including at the prestigious Heinemann Gallery in Munich, and began to be acquired by collectors and institutions. The Bavarian Army Museum in Munich eventually became a key repository for his original works, recognizing them as invaluable graphic treasures.
Collaborations and Artistic Circle
While Faber du Faur is primarily known for his independent work documenting the 1812 campaign, there are instances of his engagement with other artistic projects and individuals. The provided information mentions a collaboration with the Württemberg court painter Franz Seraph Stirnbrand (1788-1882) on designs for Lichtenstein Castle. Though these designs were ultimately rejected, it shows Faber du Faur's interest in architectural and artistic matters beyond purely military subjects. Stirnbrand was a notable portrait and historical painter in Württemberg, and their interaction, even on a rejected project, points to Faber du Faur's standing within local artistic circles.
The mention of a collaboration with a painter "A. Adam" on battle scene engravings most certainly refers to Albrecht Adam (1786-1862). Albrecht Adam was a preeminent German battle painter, particularly renowned for his extensive documentation of the Napoleonic Wars, including the 1812 campaign, which he experienced alongside the Bavarian army. Given their shared experiences in Russia and their similar dedication to realistic depiction, a collaboration on engravings would be a natural fit. Adam's work, like Faber du Faur's, is characterized by its detail and authenticity.
Faber du Faur's son, Otto von Faber du Faur (1828-1901), also became a painter. While Otto's style evolved, particularly towards Orientalist themes and more dynamic battle scenes influenced by French academic painting (like that of Horace Vernet), he undoubtedly inherited an artistic inclination and perhaps a respect for detailed observation from his father. Otto studied under Eugène Delacroix's student Gustave Wappers in Antwerp and later with Thomas Couture in Paris, and was associated with the Munich School, developing a reputation for his depictions of horses and cavalry charges.
Influence and Legacy: A Visual Historian
Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur's primary legacy lies in the invaluable historical record he created. His drawings and lithographs offer one of the most comprehensive and visually immediate accounts of the 1812 campaign from the perspective of a participant. Historians and military enthusiasts continue to study his works for insights into the daily life of soldiers, the nature of warfare in the Napoleonic era, and the specific events of the Russian campaign. His meticulousness in depicting uniforms, equipment, and terrain is particularly prized.
His influence on other artists might be more indirect. While not a stylistic innovator who founded a "school," his commitment to eyewitness realism in war art contributed to a broader trend towards more accurate and less idealized depictions of conflict that gained traction in the 19th century. Artists like Peter von Hess (1792-1871), another German painter who depicted the Napoleonic Wars (including the 1812 campaign, often from a more panoramic viewpoint), worked within a similar vein of historical documentation. Later German military painters such as Wilhelm Camphausen (1818-1885) and Adolph Menzel (1815-1905), though Menzel's scope was far broader, continued the tradition of detailed historical and military painting.
The starkness of Faber du Faur's imagery, particularly from the retreat, can be seen as a precursor to the unflinching war art of later periods, even if his style remained more descriptive than overtly emotional in the way of, for example, Francisco Goya's "Disasters of War" series, which documented the Peninsular War with unparalleled expressive force. While Goya's work is imbued with a profound moral outrage and a focus on civilian suffering, Faber du Faur's art, though more restrained, nonetheless conveys the grimness of the soldiers' plight. His work also contrasts with the more polished, often heroic, battle scenes of French academic painters like Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier later in the century, who, despite his meticulous detail, often focused on moments of French glory.
His collection of works, notably housed in the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection at Brown University Library in the United States, alongside other significant military art and illustrated books, underscores his international importance as a visual chronicler.
The Broader Context of Napoleonic War Art
Faber du Faur's art should be understood within the wider context of art produced during and after the Napoleonic Wars. This era saw a vast output of military-themed art, ranging from official state propaganda designed to glorify Napoleon and his armies (e.g., works by Gros, David, Carle Vernet) to more personal, documentary accounts. The sheer scale and drama of the Napoleonic Wars provided fertile ground for artists.
In France, artists like Antoine-Jean Gros created monumental canvases such as "Napoleon Bonaparte Visiting the Plague-Stricken at Jaffa," which, while based on a real event, served to humanize and heroicize Napoleon. Théodore Géricault, though slightly later, captured the suffering and aftermath of conflict in works like "The Charging Chasseur" and his studies of severed limbs, pointing towards a more Romantic and visceral engagement with such themes.
In Britain, artists like J.M.W. Turner depicted naval battles with dramatic intensity, while others focused on portraits of military heroes or narrative scenes of battles like Waterloo. In Germany, the Wars of Liberation (1813-1815) spurred a patriotic fervor that was reflected in art, often emphasizing German unity and heroism. Faber du Faur's work, rooted in his Württemberg identity but documenting a campaign undertaken as part of Napoleon's pan-European army, offers a specific German perspective on this complex period. His focus on the common soldier and the harsh realities of the campaign provides a valuable counter-narrative to the more triumphalist art of the victors or the state-sponsored art of Napoleon's empire.
Conclusion: An Enduring Eyewitness
Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur passed away in Stuttgart on February 6, 1857, at the age of 76. He left behind not only a distinguished military record but, more importantly for posterity, a visual archive of unparalleled historical significance. His dedication to sketching "an Ort und Stelle" (on the spot) during one of history's most brutal military endeavors provides a window into the past that words alone cannot fully convey.
As an art historian, one appreciates Faber du Faur not for revolutionizing artistic technique or pioneering a new aesthetic movement, but for the integrity of his vision and the diligence of his execution. He was a soldier who used his artistic skill to bear witness, and in doing so, he created a body of work that transcends mere illustration to become a profound historical document. His drawings and lithographs continue to inform, to move, and to remind us of the human realities behind the grand strategies and political machinations of war. His name deserves to be remembered alongside other great documentary artists who have captured the crucible of human experience in times of conflict. His art ensures that the experiences of the soldiers of the 1812 campaign, in all their grimness and resilience, are not forgotten.
