Details of Sculptor

Surname

Schwanthaler

Alternative Surname

First Name

Ludwig Michael von

Initial of Surname

S

Year of Birth/Baptism

1802

Flourished

Year of Death

1848

Biographical Details

He was born in Munich, the son of the sculptor Franz Jakob Schwanthaler, and continued the very successful family workshop in the city. He was greatly influenced by Bertel Thorvaldsen during his periods of study in Rome, 1826-27 and 1832-34. In Munich he was a professor at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste, and he enjoyed a flow of royal commissions in Bavaria throughout his career. With his cousin, Franz Xaver Schwanthaler, he was also responsible for important monuments in Frankfurt, Vienna, Salzburg and a number of other European countries. He is perhaps best known for his colossal cast bronze statue of Bavaria in Munich, which was unveiled in 1850. He clearly enjoyed a reputation among the cognoscenti in England, too, since one work was acquired by the Duke of Devonshire for a considerable price (2). He died in Munich on 14 November 1848.