Paul Friedrich Meyerheim stands as a significant figure in German art of the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Berlin in 1842 and passing away in the same city in 1915, Meyerheim carved a distinct niche for himself primarily as an animal painter (animalier) of exceptional skill, but his artistic endeavors also encompassed landscape painting, genre scenes, portraiture, and notably, depictions of industrial life. A respected professor, printmaker, and illustrator, Meyerheim navigated the shifting artistic currents of his time, largely adhering to a detailed realist style while engaging with diverse contemporary themes. His legacy is rooted in his meticulous observation, technical mastery, and his ability to capture both the natural world and the burgeoning modernity of his era.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Born into an artistic family in Berlin on July 13, 1842, Paul Friedrich Meyerheim's path towards art seemed almost preordained. His father, Friedrich Eduard Meyerheim, was a well-regarded painter known for his Biedermeier genre scenes, providing young Paul with his initial artistic instruction and immersion in a creative environment. This familial foundation undoubtedly shaped his early development and appreciation for careful craftsmanship and narrative detail, elements visible throughout his career.
Seeking formal training, Meyerheim enrolled at the prestigious Prussian Academy of Arts (Königlich Preußische Akademie der Künste) in Berlin. There, he honed his skills under various instructors, most significantly benefiting from the guidance of the animal painter Teutworth Schmitz. This mentorship was crucial in steering Meyerheim towards his eventual specialization. The Berlin Academy, a central institution in the German art world, provided him with rigorous training in drawing and painting, emphasizing anatomical accuracy and precise rendering – principles that became hallmarks of his work, particularly in his animal depictions.
The Rise of an Animal Painter
Meyerheim quickly distinguished himself through his profound interest in and talent for depicting animals. He became a frequent visitor to the Berlin Zoological Garden, which served as an invaluable resource, allowing him close and sustained observation of a wide variety of species. He wasn't merely interested in static representation; he studied animal behavior, movement, and the unique textures of fur and feathers with scientific precision. His sketchbooks filled with detailed studies formed the basis for his elaborate paintings.
Lions, monkeys, and other exotic creatures housed in the zoo became recurring subjects. Meyerheim developed a particular fondness for monkeys, often imbuing them with subtle anthropomorphic qualities, suggesting narratives or humorous situations that resonated with viewers. This ability to combine anatomical accuracy with engaging storytelling set his work apart. His dedication and skill soon brought recognition beyond Berlin.
A pivotal moment came in 1866 when Meyerheim submitted a work, likely titled Tiergruppe (Animal Group) or referred to as a Menagerie, to the prestigious Paris Salon. The painting earned him a Gold Medal, a significant international accolade that cemented his reputation as a leading animal painter of his generation. This success opened doors and brought his work to the attention of a wider audience, establishing him as a major talent within the European art scene. His detailed realism offered a compelling alternative to the more romanticized animal depictions common earlier in the century.
Beyond the Menagerie: Landscapes and Genre Scenes
While celebrated for his animal paintings, Meyerheim's artistic interests were broader. He undertook several study trips that expanded his horizons and influenced his style. Journeys took him to Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, but his time spent in France, particularly visits to Paris and the Barbizon region, proved especially formative for his landscape and genre work.
In Barbizon, the home of the famous school of landscape painters, Meyerheim encountered the works and possibly the ethos of artists dedicated to a more direct, realistic depiction of nature. The influence of painters like Jean-François Millet, Théodore Rousseau, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and Charles-François Daubigny can be discerned in Meyerheim's subsequent landscape paintings. He adopted a greater sensitivity to light and atmosphere, though generally retaining his characteristic detailed approach rather than fully embracing the looser brushwork of some Barbizon masters or the emerging Impressionists.
His genre scenes often depicted German rural life, featuring cottages, village lanes, and agricultural activities. While sometimes presenting an idealized view, these works demonstrate his interest in everyday life and his skill in composing narrative scenes. Works like Im Zimmer und der Hündin (In the Room with the Bitch), exhibited in Berlin as early as 1862, show his early engagement with combining domestic interiors and animal subjects. His travels also inspired works with exotic settings, such as the Oriental Coffee House, reflecting a common 19th-century European fascination with the East.
Engaging with Modernity: Industry and Technology
Perhaps one of the most distinctive aspects of Meyerheim's oeuvre was his engagement with themes of industry and technology, subjects less commonly tackled by artists specializing in the natural world. This interest stemmed partly from a close personal friendship with the Borsig family, owners of a major locomotive manufacturing company in Berlin. Albert Borsig commissioned Meyerheim to create a series of paintings documenting the life cycle of a locomotive.
This ambitious project resulted in the monumental series titled Lebensgeschichte einer Lokomotive (Life Story of a Locomotive). Executed between 1873 and 1876, these paintings depicted various stages, from the foundry and assembly halls to the engine in operation. These works are remarkable not only for their technical accuracy in rendering machinery but also for capturing the energy, scale, and human labor involved in industrial production. They stand as important visual documents of the Industrial Revolution in Germany.
Meyerheim's approach to industrial subjects paralleled, in some ways, the work of his renowned Berlin contemporary, Adolph Menzel, whose Iron Rolling Mill (1875) is a landmark depiction of industrial labor. Meyerheim exhibited parts of his locomotive series early on, including at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair (Weltausstellung 1873 in Wien). The complete cycle was prominently displayed at the Große Berliner Kunstausstellung (Great Berlin Art Exhibition) in 1912, showcasing his unique contribution to this genre.
Master Printmaker and Illustrator
Meyerheim's talents extended beyond painting into the graphic arts. He was a proficient printmaker, skilled in techniques such as woodcut and lithography. His prints often revisited themes from his paintings, particularly animals, allowing for wider dissemination of his imagery. His precision and attention to detail translated effectively into the linear and tonal demands of printmaking.
His most significant contribution as an illustrator was undoubtedly his work for Brehms Tierleben (Brehm's Life of Animals), a highly popular and influential multi-volume natural history encyclopedia first published in the 1860s. Meyerheim contributed numerous illustrations, bringing various animals to life for a broad readership. His accurate and lively depictions played a crucial role in the success and educational impact of the publication, solidifying his reputation as a master of animal representation in both fine art and popular science contexts. He also undertook other illustration projects and designs throughout his career.
Teaching and Legacy
Meyerheim's expertise and reputation led to an academic appointment. He became a professor at the Berlin Academy of Arts, where he specialized in teaching animal painting. In this role, he influenced a new generation of artists, passing on his meticulous methods and deep knowledge of animal anatomy and behavior. His most famous pupil was Wilhelm Kuhnert, who would himself become a celebrated painter of African wildlife, carrying forward and adapting the tradition of realistic animal depiction learned under Meyerheim.
Beyond teaching, Meyerheim was an active member of the Berlin art establishment. He served on the Academy's academic committee, contributing to the institution's direction. His position placed him within the mainstream of German art during a period of significant change, which saw the rise of Impressionism and the Berlin Secession, led by figures like Max Liebermann and Walter Leistikow. While Meyerheim remained largely committed to realism, his role within the Academy, then often under the powerful directorship of Anton von Werner, signifies his respected status within the official art structures of the Wilhelmine era. His circle likely included other prominent Berlin artists like the history and animal painter Carl Steffeck.
Key Works and Exhibitions
Paul Friedrich Meyerheim's long and productive career resulted in numerous significant works. Among his most representative and celebrated pieces are:
Lebensgeschichte einer Lokomotive (Life Story of a Locomotive, 1873-76): A multi-part series commissioned by the Borsig company, depicting the creation and operation of a steam locomotive. A major work of industrial art.
Tiergruppe / Menagerie (Animal Group / Menagerie, c. 1866): The work that won him the Gold Medal at the Paris Salon, establishing his international reputation as an animalier.
Im Zimmer und der Hündin (In the Room with the Bitch, 1862): An early example of his genre painting, combining domestic interior, human figures, and animals.
Affen family (Monkey Family): Representative of his numerous, often humorous and anthropomorphic, depictions of monkeys, frequently observed at the Berlin Zoo.
Afrikaner Porträtstudie (African Portrait Study): Demonstrating his skill in portraiture and interest in ethnographic subjects, possibly linked to zoo exhibits or travel.
Oriental Coffee House: An example of his engagement with Orientalist themes popular in the 19th century.
His works were regularly featured in major exhibitions:
Berlin Academy Exhibitions: From early works like Im Zimmer und der Hündin (1862) onwards.
Paris Salon: Notably the 1866 exhibition where he won the Gold Medal.
Vienna World's Fair (Weltausstellung 1873 in Wien): Exhibited work related to the locomotive series.
1894 Exhibition: A painting depicting a scene from a German zoological exhibition was shown in an exhibition this year (the specific venue requires further research, but it highlights his continued engagement with zoo subjects).
Große Berliner Kunstausstellung (Great Berlin Art Exhibition): A major annual showcase in Berlin where his works, including the full Lebensgeschichte einer Lokomotive in 1912, were prominently displayed.
Artistic Style and Themes Revisited
Meyerheim's art is fundamentally rooted in Realism. His primary stylistic characteristic is meticulous attention to detail, grounded in careful observation. This is most evident in his animal paintings, where anatomical accuracy and the rendering of textures like fur and feathers are paramount. However, his realism was often infused with a narrative element, particularly in his animal groupings and genre scenes, inviting viewers to interpret the interactions depicted.
His thematic range was notably broad for an artist primarily known as an animalier. He successfully navigated:
Animal Painting: His core specialty, marked by accuracy, empathy, and sometimes humor.
Landscape Painting: Influenced by the Barbizon School's realism but retaining a German precision.
Genre Scenes: Depicting both German rural life and exotic settings.
Industrial Themes: A unique aspect of his work, documenting technological progress.
Portraiture: Including formal portraits and ethnographic studies.
Illustration and Printmaking: Extending his reach through graphic media.
While contemporaries explored Impressionism (Heinrich von Zügel adapted it to animal painting) or Symbolism, Meyerheim largely remained faithful to the detailed representational style valued by the Academy and a broad public throughout his career.
Meyerheim in Context
Paul Friedrich Meyerheim occupied a significant position within the German art landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He belonged to a generation that witnessed immense social, technological, and artistic change. His work reflects this, bridging the traditional Biedermeier sensibilities inherited from his father, Friedrich Eduard Meyerheim, with an engagement with modern industrial subjects akin to Adolph Menzel.
He was a leading figure in German animal painting, alongside contemporaries like Heinrich Sperling, and he directly mentored the next generation's star, Wilhelm Kuhnert. He operated within the established academic system, unlike the Secessionists (Liebermann, Corinth, Leistikow). His peers within the Berlin Academy structure included figures like Anton von Werner and genre painters such as Ludwig Knaus. His brother, Wilhelm Gustav Meyerheim, was also an artist, continuing the family's creative legacy, though Paul Friedrich achieved greater fame. Meyerheim's success demonstrates the continued appeal of skilled realism and narrative painting even as modernist movements gained momentum.
Later Life and Conclusion
In 1867, Paul Friedrich Meyerheim married Clara Lehfeldt. The couple did not have children. He remained based in his native Berlin throughout his life, continuing to paint, teach, and participate in the city's vibrant artistic life. He maintained his studio and his connection to the Academy and the Zoological Garden, sources of lifelong inspiration.
Paul Friedrich Meyerheim passed away in Berlin on September 14, 1915, during the turmoil of the First World War. He left behind a substantial body of work characterized by technical brilliance, keen observation, and thematic diversity. Remembered primarily as one of Germany's foremost animal painters, his legacy also encompasses his sensitive landscapes, engaging genre scenes, and pioneering depictions of industrial modernity. As a painter, printmaker, illustrator, and influential teacher, Meyerheim made a lasting contribution to the art of his time, capturing the multifaceted spirit of an era transitioning from the traditional to the modern world.
