Conservatism and innovation in Moritx von Schwind
W E R N E R B U S C H
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O R I T Z v o n S c h w i n d p l a y s v i r t u a l l y n o r o l e i n p r e s e n t - d a y a r t h i s t o r y e v e n i n G e r m a n y . W h e n e v e r h e is m e n t i o n e d , t h e c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n a l w a y s s o u n d s t h e s a m e : a c o n s e r v a t i v e l a t e r o m a n t i c i s t w i t h a n a c h r o n i s t i c , Biedermeier- s t y l e t r a i t s , t h e c r e a t o r o f l y r i c a l f a i r y - t a l e s c e n e s , r e l a t e d i n s o m e w a y s t o t h o s e o f L u d w i g R i c h t e r . T h e r e h a v e b e e n t h r e e p e r i o d s s i n c e S c h w i n d ' s d e a t h , i n 1871, w h e n h i s w o r k s h a v e b e e n i n g r e a t e r d e m a n d ( e a c h d o c u m e n t e d b y a n a m a z i n g l y l a r g e p r o d u c t i o n o f a r t v o l u m e s ) : p r i o r t o , a n d i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w i n g , t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r , a n d f o l l o w i n g t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r . T h e r e a s o n s f o r t h i s a r e e a s i l y g i v e n . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h e e n f o r c e d i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n o f t h e Grunderzeit ( t h e p e r i o d o f w i l d s p e c u l a t i o n f o l l o w i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f a u n i t e d G e r m a n y i n 1871), S c h w i n d ' s p a i n t i n g s r e m i n d e d p e o p l e o f t h e ' g o o d o l d d a y s ' . T h e y p r o m i s e d t o u p h o l d a s t r o n g m i d d l e - c l a s s a n d p r o v i n c i a l s e n s e o f o r d e r a n d a l l o w e d r o o m f o r d r e a m i n g o f t h e o l d a c c u s t o m e d w a y s a n d c o n d i t i o n s . F o l l o w i n g t h e t w o W o r l d W a r s , S c h w i n d ' s a s w e l l a s R i c h t e r ' s w o r k s h a d i m m e d i a t e c o n s o l i n g f u n c t i o n s . T h e y f o r m e d s o m e t h i n g l i k e a G e r m a n ' h o m e t r e a s u r e ' , t h e e v i d e n c e o f a s e e m i n g l y i n d e s t r u c t i b l e , ' g o o d ' i n t r i n s i c c h a r a c t e r w h i c h c o u l d s u p e r s e d e t h e f e e l i n g o f g u i l t l e f t b y t h e w a r s , a n d w h i c h m a d e p o s s i b l e a k i n d o f r e t r e a t i n t o a w o r l d w h i c h w a s p r e s u m e d t o r e m a i n i n t a c t . S c h w i n d w a s n o t g o o d c u l t u r a l m a t e r i a l f o r t h e N a z i p r o p a g a n d a m a c h i n e - h i s a r t w o r k s w e r e t o o i n n o c u o u s , t o o u n h e r o i c . T h i s f a c t k e p t t h e m o u t o f t h e l i n e o f f i r e a f t e r t h e w a r s . T o d a y , f r o m t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f a m o r e c r i t i c a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h e w o r l d a s s e e n b y S c h w i n d s e e m s t o b e c o m p l e t e l y i m p l a u s i b l e , a n d t h e b a c k w a r d n e s s o f h i s art is o b v i o u s , a b o v e all i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h a t o f t h e F r e n c h .T h i s e s t i m a t i o n i s n o t w r o n g , b u t it d e n i e s a n y o p p o r t u n i t y f o r g r a s p i n g m o r e p r e c i s e l y t h e h i s t o r i c l o c a t i o n o f S c h w i n d ' s a r t - a n d , a b o v e a l l , f o r u s i n g h i s a c t u a l w o r k s t o m a k e v i s i b l e t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y d o i n d e e d i n d i c a t e a n a w a r e n e s s o f t h e p r o b l e m s o f t h e t i m e a n d o f a r t i n t h e m i d d l e o f
252
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind
t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , a n d t h a t t h e y s t r i v e a s w e l l t o w a r d s a n i n d i v i d u a l s o l u t i o n w h i c h w a s m a n i f e s t e d i n t h e i r s t r u c t u r e s .
S c h w i n d w a s a s t u d e n t o f P e t e r C o r n e l i u s ; t h e l a t t e r h e l p e d h i m n o t o n l y t o g a i n i n i t i a l f r e s c o c o m m i s s i o n s b u t a l s o h a d a l o n g - l a s t i n g e f f e c t o n t h e w a y h e d e f i n e d a r t . C o r n e l i u s o n l y t r a i n e d h i s a p p r e n t i c e s t o m a k e c a r t o o n s . H e d i d n o t b e l i e v e i n t h e p r i m a r y i m p o r t a n c e o f c o l o u r , b u t t h o u g h t o f it a s m e r e l y c o i n c i d e n t a l . I n h i s o p i n i o n , a n i d e a s h o u l d m a n i f e s t i t s e l f c o m p l e t e l y i n t h e d r a f t . S o h e s e n t h i s t r a i n e e s c a r t o o n v e r s i o n s o f w o r k s t o b e c a r r i e d o u t i n f r e s c o w i t h t h e r e s p e c t i v e c o l o u r s m e r e l y n a m e d o n t h e m . T h e c o l o u r v e r s i o n h a d n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h c r e a t i v i t y ; i t s f u n c t i o n w a s o n l y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o r s y m b o l i c . S c h w i n d n e v e r r e j e c t e d t h i s p r i n c i p l e . I n 1853 n e w r o t e :
T h e art o f p a i n t i n g is i n s u c h a h o r r i b l e s t a t e t h a t o n e s h o u l d n o t w o n d e r f o r t o o l o n g t h a t n o b o d y t h i n k s o f a n a r t i s t as a k i n d o f p o e t , b u t r a t h e r as s o m e s t u p i d f e l l o w w h o f u m b l e s a r o u n d w i t h a p i e c e o f p a p e r a n d t r i e s t o s e e i f h e ' l l h a v e a n i d e a . T h i s is t h e n c a l l e d a s k e t c h . I k n o w n o t h i n g o f t h e s e a r t s , t h a n k G o d ! B u t w h e n I h a v e b r o u g h t m y w o r k f a r e n o u g h a l o n g t h a t I c a n l e a v e a n d a n o t h e r c a n t a k e m y p l a c e , m y d r a w i n g s a r e c o m p l e t e , t h o u g h t t h r o u g h , all p a r t s h a v e b e e n w e i g h e d a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r , t h a t w h i c h b e l o n g s t o g e t h e r h a s b e e n b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r , t h e i n d i v i d u a l m o t i f s w i l l h a v e o c c u r r e d to m e . E n o u g h . T h e w o r k h a s b e e n c o m p l e t e l y a u t h o r e d , a n d t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t , i r r e p l a c e a b l e p a r t h a s b e e n p e r f o r m e d . T h e o t h e r t h i n g s c o u l d b e d o n e b y a n o t h e r p e r s o n i f n e e d b e .1
T h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e i d e a w i t h i n a n a r t i s t i c e x p r e s s i o n c a n b e c o m p l e t e l y o b j e c t i f i e d w a s a c l a s s i c a l i d e a l i s t c o n v i c t i o n . T h i s b a s i c c o n v i c t i o n w o u l d , o f n e c e s s i t y , a f f e c t t h e w o r k p r o c e s s . It m i g h t m a k e s e n s e f o r t h e p a i n t i n g o f t h e f r e s c o e s , b u t t h e c l a s s i c a l d e s i g n i n g p r a c t i c e m a d e f o r c o n t r a d i c t i o n s i n S c h w i n d ' s s m a l l o i l p a i n t i n g s . T h e p r o b l e m o f a r t i s t i c s e l f - i m a g e w a s m i r r o r e d i n t h i s c o n t r a d i c t i o n . B y t h e t i m e o f t h e e n d o f t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n , G e r m a n a r t i s t s n o l o n g e r k n e w h o w t o d e f i n e t h e i r p l a c e i n s o c i e t y . C o u r t l y c o n t r a c t s w e r e n o l o n g e r e n o u g h t o l i v e o f f i n m o s t c a s e s ; t h e y w e r e f o r c e d t o m a k e t h e i r w a y i n a f r e e m a r k e t . S c h w i n d p r o d u c e d d e s p i s e d p o t b o i l e r s , d e s i g n s f o r t h e p o p u l a r g r a p h i c s m a r k e t a n d i l l u s t r a t i o n s f o r j o u r n a l s , s u c h a s Fliegende Blatter o r Munchener Bilderbogen. T h e m a r k e t o f t h e u p p e r m i d d l e c l a s s h a d i t s f o r u m i n t h e p r o m o t i o n a l s a l e s e x h i b i t i o n s o f t h e v a r i o u s A r t U n i o n s a n d a s s o c i a t i o n s . P o r t r a i t s , l a n d s c a p e s , a n d i n t e r i o r s w e r e g r e a t l y i n d e m a n d .
'Inventions' in small formats and historical pictures had a difficult time.
One compromise which many artists sought - and one which promised economic security - was to become a professor at an academy. The acad
emy, the preserver of conventional art, the mediator between state and artist, was nevertheless conceived as hostile to art, especially by Schwind.
'An academy', he commented gruffly, 'is a foolish thing.'
2Indeed he, too, was not able to secure his middle-class existence without a professorship at the Munich 'Akademie'. The Academy also made possible another solution that was very typical for Germany. Schwind was able to isolate a private realm within his artistic profession, and this alone was to bring h i m genuine artistic fulfilment. For a while he hoped for royal or courtly patronage, which he imagined would free him of all constraints. During his negotiations over the Wartburg frescoes (which he carried out in 1854-5), however, he was forced to recognize that there was no such thing as a royal liberality that would grant the freedom to do anything. The work was poorly paid, the scale was constantly reduced, others tried to alter the content of his pictures, and he was forced to make concessions.
3In the end, the whole public realm seemed to h i m to stand in the way of art; the only solution seemed to lie in retreating within himself and to his closer circle of friends. With Schwind, this becomes an escape from reality, from the present, and a projection into an idealized happy past in which art, too, reaches its fulfilment.
Schwind became fully aware of the artist's low status within society during the revolutionary events of 1848-9. Official commissions ceased to come in, as did supplementary income from occasional graphics jobs.
Schwind made no effort to conceal his disgust for a 'fine popular spring' ('sauberer Volkerfruhling'),
4as he cynically called the revolution. He conscientiously called himself a 'main reactionary',
5and wanted to see the revolutionaries hanged. He expected only disaster for the realm of art:
'How horrible it will be when the men of the [common] people begin to order [works of art]; I think the imperial family itself would then be placed in the shadows with its art collecting. '
6The conclusions he drew are quite clear: 'I am thankful in as much as the hopeless confusion of these times helps to direct one back to one's own self. Only our innermost substance can now give us a balance against the intoxication which has taken over in all those heads.'
7After the revolution, Schwind isolated himself more and more. From
an artistic point of view, this concentration on the private realm led to two
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind
t h i n g s . H e p a i n t e d s m a l l pictures i n series, w h i c h w e r e not i n t e n d e d for t h e general public, o n l y for h i m s e l f , a n d o n the o n e h a n d there were his so-called 'Reisebilder' (Pictures o f life's j o u r n e y ) , w h i c h recorded his m e m o r i e s i n a lyrically glorified f o r m .8 T h e s e i n c l u d e d the m e m o r y o f h i s y o u t h i n the Franz Schubert circle i n V i e n n a , m e m o r i e s o f h i s experi
ences o f n a t u r e represented i n a fairy-tale m a n n e r , a n d o f other stages o f h i s life depicted i n a historically i m p r e c i s e way. T h e s e were elegiac pic
tures o f a passive, yet happy, existence. O n the other h a n d , there w a s a por
trait gallery o f h i s friends. I n association w i t h these c o m p l e t e l y private pictures, h e searched for a n artistic f o r m w h i c h c o u l d preserve their pri
vate aspect w i t h o u t a n y loss - c o m p l e t e l y intact - a n d yet o p e n a n d access
ible to a l i m i t e d public. T h i s artistic pictorial f o r m is by necessity synthetic. It abstractly b i n d s contrasting features together w i t h the h e l p o f the arabesque f o r m . T h e resulting n e w pictorial f o r m , w h i c h i n the e n d is really an o f f s h o o t f r o m wall decoration s y s t e m s , finds its first repre
sentation in t h e so-called Symphony (fig. n . i ) , w h i c h S c h w i n d b e g a n i n 1 8 4 6 a n d h a d systematically c o m p l e t e d i n t h e f o r m o f d r a w i n g s a n d car
t o o n s by the year 1848.9 T h e i r r e n d e r i n g into p a i n t e d f o r m w a s delayed u n t i l 1852, however, by the lack o f a n y c o m m i s s i o n . T h e private pictures are inserted i n t o the w h o l e . By their c o m b i n a t i o n , a n d w i t h i n a f r a m e w o r k o f c o m m e n t a r y , they p r o d u c e a story w i t h a definite private d i m e n s i o n , b u t o n e w h i c h also p e r m i t s a n allegorical 'reading', a n d is t h u s , i n principle, generally c o m p r e h e n s i b l e . I n 1857, the private portraits also received a s e m i - p u b l i c location: as s c u l p t u r e - i m i t a t i n g grisaille paint
ings, they c r o w n the frieze-like fairy-tale cycle o f t h e Seven Ravens.10 T h i s , too, e m p l o y s a synthetic f o r m in w h i c h the parts are i n t e n d e d to give each other real sense, i n order to bridge the gap b e t w e e n the private a n d the p u b l i c spheres. Yet e v e n t h e series 'Reisebilder' h a s a synthetic quality;
t h e i n d i v i d u a l picture s e e m s not to h a v e the p o w e r to be able to stand alone. It o n l y begins to m a k e sense i n context o f t h e series. It is a part o f o n e life's picture in w h i c h n o t only reality a n d fiction b e c o m e m i x e d , but also, as S c h w i n d writes, 'the m o d e r n , the antique, t h e R o m a n t i c '1 1 appear i n s u c c e s s i o n , w i t h o u t a n y clear order. Estranged f r o m h i s o w n t i m e , S c h w i n d is t h u s trying to protect a n d preserve the different p e r i o d s in h i s o w n private c o s m o s . H e also failed to clarify h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h history, c h o o s i n g instead only to glorify the past. T h i s is a historicist v i s i o n , w h i c h Hegel's p u p i l , Friedrich T h e o d o r Vischer, i n 1842, r e d u c e d to the critical statement: ' O u r t i m e h a s n o present, b u t o n l y a past a n d a future.'1 2 I n a
Vi
n
a
1
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v l
Figure 11.1 Moritz von Schwind, The Symphony, 1852.
similar vein, the poet Nikolaus Lenau, who also belonged to the Schubert
circle in Vienna, commented, derogatorily, in 1843: 'Because the
Germans have no political public life, they make their private lives into a
caricature of a public one.'
13The lack of consciousness of the present
results from having experienced a break with the past, with tradition and
heritage.
14There is evidence that, politically, Schwind stood close to the
idea of the medieval corporate state as developed for the nineteenth
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind
c e n t u r y by the M e t t e r n i c h i a n state secretary, A d a m Miiller.1 5 For e x a m
ple, the w o r l d i n his f a m o u s print for Tieck's Puss in Boots (Gestiefelter Kater)16 o f 1850 is f r a m e d by a castle a n d c h u r c h a n d their respective s y m b o l s o f rule, a coat o f a r m s a n d a roadside cross - these d e f i n e the f r a m e w o r k o f order. F r o m a n artistic p o i n t o f view, the experience o f the break w i t h history leads paradoxically to t w o things: to a h i s t o r i c i z i n g o f all past styles, a n d to a n increased e m p h a s i s o n artistic a u t o n o m y . S c h w i n d believes h i m s e l f capable o f c o n t r i b u t i n g the lost c o n n e c t i o n s i n g l e - h a n d edly f r o m w i t h i n h i s o w n b e i n g .
In w h a t f o l l o w s I analyse the c o n s e q u e n c e s o f this paradoxical c o n d i t i o n for S c h w i n d ' s artistic practice, u s i n g the 'Reisebilder' a n d Die Symphonic. Der Spielmann bei einem Einsiedler (The Minstrel and the Hermit)11 (fig. n . 2 ) is p r o b a b l y dated f r o m 1846, at a p o i n t i n t i m e w h e n t h e idea for a series o f pictures b e g a n to take shape; the m a i n part o f the 'Reisebilder' w a s created i n the 1850s a n d early 1 8 6 0 s . T h e f o r m a t o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 0 x 4 5 c m c o r r e s p o n d s to t h e average s i z e o f t h e 'Reisebilder'. T h e m i n s t r e l is w a n d e r i n g - his staff, hat, a n d c a n t e e n are l e a n e d against a tree - w h e n i n a craggy, w o o d e d spot h e h a p p e n s u p o n the h e r m i t recluse. H e s t o p s for a rest, plays s o m e t h i n g o n a b a g p i p e for the h e r m i t ( w h o brings w i t h h i m t h i n g s h e has f o u n d i n the forest) a n d receives a m e a l i n return: the pot is already o n the fire. T h e h e r m i t a g e is s m a l l , m e a g r e , a n d isolated. Fir trees a n d w h a t is left o f an oak cling to the t o w e r i n g rock wall. T h e s p r i n g b e l o w provides n o u r i s h m e n t for a few s h r u b s a n d flowers. A crucifix protected by a s m a l l roof, a s m a l l con
tainer o f h o l y water, a n d a picture o f M o t h e r Mary o n a tree suffice for the h e r m i t ' s sacred m e d i t a t i o n . T h e m e s s a g e is clear: the w a n d e r i n g m i n strel as well as the h e r m i t will only find peace o u t s i d e society, only there will they be i n h a r m o n y w i t h nature. For this they m u s t live i n c o m p l e t e m o d e s t y , far f r o m any o c c u p a t i o n a l a m b i t i o n s . S c h w i n d p a i n t e d this in Frankfurt against the grain o f the t i m e , i n contrast to t h e c o l o u r f u l w o r k s a n d historical p a i n t i n g that w e r e prevalent i n B e l g i u m a n d D i i s s e l d o r f , a n d particularly i n contradiction to the taste o f t h e Frankfurt a u d i e n c e , w h o left h i m by the wayside, preferring to process i n their h u n d r e d s to see Lessing's Hws.18 It is significant a n d typical that S c h w i n d ' s picture has n o d e p t h , n o perspective, that t h e b a g p i p e ' s m a i n p i p e follows the centre axis exactly - t h u s i m m o b i l i z i n g t i m e a n d space. T h e r e is n o early R o m a n t i c y e a r n i n g for t h e infinite, b u t rather a s u g g e s t i o n o f m a k i n g o n e s e l f c o m p l e t e l y c o n t e n t w i t h n e a r n e s s a n d s m a l l spaces. I n d e e d the t h i n g s
I
Figure 11.2
Moritz von Schwind, The Minstrel and the Hermit, c. 1846.
Figure 11
.3 within the direct range of vision do not awaken the artist's curiosity as Moritz von Schwind,
n a r u r ai phenomena; instead all are predefined, set off from each other by
The Morning Hour,
c. i860.
distinct outlines, and kept thus in good order.
This is particularly obvious, as well, in the charming picture in the
Biedermeier style known as Die Morgenstunde {The Morning Hour) (fig.11.3), completed during the late 1850s.
19Here, where the light of the
morning streams into the room, one might expect a representation of
some impressions of atmosphere - but this is not the case. Schwind's
concern is not with capturing a momentary occurrence, but rather the
retelling of a little story, which is revealed in the end in a conventional
manner by means of the objects. Pictorial narrative remains the principal
function of the picture. The young girl has risen, pulled back the covers,
gone barefoot to the window to let in the day. Her linen is still lying across
the chair. Next she will begin to wash herself, comb her hair in front of the
mirror, and later work at the sewing table to the left - having first pulled
back the second window curtain. Here, too, all things have their distinct
outline, their own local colour, each contained within itself. It is not the
light streaming in through the window which disperses or lends colour or
tones. Rather, each object establishes its own colour, its own character
istic light and shadow. The mirror, although still in a shadow, has to gleam around the frame. Similarly, the fixtures on the chest of drawers are made to shine. Schwind allows himself to experiment with colour only on the somewhat translucent curtain - but only in a minor way. A consideration
o f M e n z e l ' s Balkonzimmer (The Balcony room) or h i s Schlafzimmer (The Bedroom) (fig. 11.4), of 1845 and 1847 respectively, shows the difference.20Menzel emphasizes his visual experience as the central theme. All objects owe their appearance to the light, light gives and takes from them their contours; not the other way around as with Schwind. Menzel's impression of the objects is subjective, Schwind's representation of the objects aims towards an objective depiction. Thus, his picture remains a kind of idealized narration, regardless of the private nature of its origin.
One may correctly assume that the girl in the picture is Schwind's daugh
ter and that the scene occurs in Schwind's country home near Starnberg Lake not far from Munich. The contradiction is obvious: his private world appears in the mode of a public form, for Schwind's definition of art demands it be so. Because the small format does not completely swallow the detail of the brush strokes, the solution remains a happy one. This pic
ture would have been inconceivable in a larger size.
The Symphony, by contrast, was conceived as a large work. Ideally, it
would have been executed as a mural in a music room, accompanied by corresponding pictures to Mozart's 'Magic Flute' and Haydn's 'Four Seasons' and 'Creation'. For this reason, The Symphony is much more complex in its entirety, and aims at a synthesis of private need and public demand. Yet Schwind was not sure whether his intention would be understood at all. He sent his finished design along with a programmatic commentary to friends, imploring them to show it only to trusted per
sons. Absit publicum' ('no public, please') was the tenor of all his corre
spondence.
21Still he was undecided and torn - for a while he thought he might exhibit the piece at the Dresden Art Association exhibition - only to renege finally on this intention. Then he hoped for patronage from the Weimar royal court and, finally, for mediation from Weimar to the English royal family, which never materialized. Not until 1852 did King Otto of Greece (originally from Bavaria) commission a painted version, and then only the size of a cartoon and for an extremely modest price.
The concept behind The Symphony is quite unusual. It is based - as
Schwind acknowledges and notes on a sheet of music in the lowest
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind 261
gure 11.4
dolph Menzel, The Bedroom, 1847.
c o m p a r t m e n t o f t h e p i c t u r e - o n B e e t h o v e n ' s ' C h o r p h a n t a s i e ' ( ' C h o r a l f a n t a s y ' ) , O p u s n o . 8 0 . ' T h e e n t i r e little story', says S c h w i n d , ' m o v e s p r o p
erly f r o m t h i s m u s i c a l b a s e i n f o u r parts w h i c h are a n a l o g o u s to t h e u s u a l f o u r m o v e m e n t s o f a s y m p h o n y - s y m p h o n y [sonata], andante, scherzo a n d allegro.'22 T h i s c a u s e d s o m e b e w i l d e r m e n t i n a s m u c h as S c h w i n d - h i m s e l f a n a c c o m p l i s h e d m u s i c i a n w h o h a d p l a y e d t o g e t h e r w i t h S c h u b e r t , a n d s o m e o f w h o s e early d r a w i n g s w e r e o w n e d b y B e e t h o v e n - k n e w , o f c o u r s e , that B e e t h o v e n ' s O p u s n o . 8 0 h a d n o s y m p h o n i c o r d e r w h a t s o e v e r . It is i n fact o n e c o n t i n u o u s p i e c e w i t h n o s e g m e n t a t i o n i n t o m o v e m e n t s . I n a d d i t i o n , it c o m b i n e s , i n a n e x t r e m e l y u n u s u a l f o r m , c h a m b e r m u s i c characteristics w i t h a h u g e c h o r a l p e r f o r m a n c e . T h e c h o r a l m o t i f w a s later to a c h i e v e a c e r t a i n d e g r e e o f f a m e b e c a u s e it w a s u s e d to i n t r o d u c e p a s s a g e s o f t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y ; yet t h e w o r k r e m a i n s o u t s i d e t h e u s u a l c o n c e r t c a n o n d u e t o its p e c u l i a r s t r u c t u r e .
I n a n o t h e r w a y t o o , S c h w i n d ' s d e s i g n d o e s n o t c o r r e s p o n d to B e e t h o v e n ' s c h o r a l fantasy. For t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e story e m b e d d e d w i t h i n t h i s s y m p h o n i c f r a m e w o r k , S c h w i n d r e q u i r e d a s o l o p e r f o r m a n c e by a f e m a l e singer. O p u s n o . 8 0 , h o w e v e r , d o e s n o t i n c l u d e a s i n g l e s o l o part. T h i s i n c o n g r u i t y h a s b e e n t h e c a u s e o f s o m e c o n c e r n a m o n g r e s e a r c h e r s . H o w e v e r , I s e e it as p r o v i d i n g t h e k e y t o u n d e r s t a n d S c h w i n d ' s w o r k .
I n t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e little story, t h e f o u r p i c t u r e s set i n s i d e t h e f r a m e f o l l o w f r o m b o t t o m t o t o p t h e classical m o v e m e n t s o f a s y m p h o n y . T h e s w i f t o p e n i n g m o v e m e n t gives u s t h e e x p o s i t i o n , t h e b a s i s f o r t h e e n t i r e s y m p h o n y w h i c h d e f i n e s its s u c c e s s i o n i n m a n y w a y s . S c h w i n d i n t e r j e c t s a l o v e story i n t o t h i s m o v e m e n t : a n o r c h e s t r a l r e h e a r s a l i n a pri
vate theatre. A l a r g e n u m b e r o f t h e p e o p l e a s s e m b l e d are actual portraits.
S c h w i n d ' s f r i e n d s f r o m t h e p a s t a n d p r e s e n t h a v e g a t h e r e d together.
S c h w i n d ' s close f r i e n d , t h e c o n d u c t o r F r a n z L a c h n e r , is d i r e c t i n g ; e v e n S c h u b e r t , a l r e a d y d e a d by s o m e t w e n t y years, s i n g s i n t h e choir. S c h w i n d h i m s e l f t u r n s t h e p a g e s f o r t h e p i a n i s t . T h e f e m a l e p r o t a g o n i s t , h o w e v e r , is t h e h i g h l y r e v e r e d c o u r t singer, C a r o l i n e H e t z e n e c k e r , w h o left M u n i c h a n d h e r m u s i c a l career to m a r r y a district a d m i n i s t r a t o r . H e r l o v e story, w h i c h is r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e p i c t u r e , carries t h e i m p l i c a t i o n o f g i v i n g u p art a n d p u b l i c f a m e a n d t h u s a d d s a n elegiac u n d e r t o n e . T h e district a d m i n i s t r a t o r , s t a n d i n g u p i n t h e o r c h e s t r a , sees h e r as s h e a w a i t s h e r entry. T h e story n o w b e g i n s t o u n f o l d f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s m a r b l e b u s t o n t h e m i d d l e axis o f t h e l o w e r p a r t o f t h e p a i n t i n g , as a k i n d o f s o u r c e . T h e
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind
s l o w andante m o v e m e n t illustrates a still distant encounter, i n w h i c h the s i n g e r is p u r s u e d y e a r n i n g l y by a m a l e suitor. D u r i n g a m a s q u e r a d e ball (the scherzo m o v e m e n t ) , a declaration o f love is m a d e . I n the allegro m o v e
m e n t , w e see the finale, the c o u p l e leaving by coach o n their h o n e y m o o n , a n d the singer sees i n t h e distance her n e w c o u n t r y residence. T h e story a n d the s y m p h o n y have filled out into their final shape. T h e f o u r m a i n scenes are a c c o m p a n i e d by grisaille p a i n t i n g s o f natural allegories w h i c h give the i n d i v i d u a l stories their d e f i n i t i o n w i t h i n t h e f r a m e w o r k o f n a t u r e ' s cyclical processes. I n the centre is t h e favourite o f t h e gods, G a n y m e d e , w i t h Z e u s ' s eagle; for S c h w i n d h e represents the a w a k e n i n g s p r i n g . T h e picture o f the e n c o u n t e r is f r a m e d by f o u r tondi d e p i c t i n g the t i m e o f day against an arabesque, R a p h a e l e s q u e veil. B e t w e e n t h e m are s o m e quite u n u s u a l s m a l l e r pictures i n w h i c h r e f r e s h m e n t s d u r i n g jour
n e y s a n d the h e a l i n g effect o f a b a t h i n g c u r e are integrated. Smaller pic
tures, w i t h t h e four w i n d s i n the centre, arch over t h e final s c e n e as a m e t a p h o r o f life.
S c h w i n d called h i s d e s i g n a m o d e r n d r a w i n g o n several o c c a s i o n s , a n d s e e m s e v e n to have b e e n s u r p r i s e d h i m s e l f at h o w well m o d e r n apparel, a n t i q u e n a k e d n e s s , a n d allegory h a r m o n i z e d together.
H o w e v e r , h e w a s frustrated, h e wrote, by t h e lack o f action i n t h e pre
sent.2 3 T h i s is n o t very easy to u n d e r s t a n d . T h e r e is o n l y a n apparent lack o f action i n the present for h i m b e c a u s e h e can i d e n t i f y n o m e a n i n g f u l order i n it. H i s v i e w is o n l y o f partial, n o n - g o a l - o r i e n t e d m o v e m e n t . H e m i s s e s the ' m i d d l e ' i n Sedlmayr's s e n s e o f t h e term.2 4 H e can o n l y regard t h e 'popular s p r i n g ' w i t h cynical d i s d a i n . G a n y m e d e ' s 'spring' picture is a n e d u c a t i o n a l r e m i n i s c e n c e - attractive, yes, b u t passe. S c h w i n d is o f f e r i n g a reflection o n the disparateness o f the present. M o d e r n t h i n g s are m i x e d w i t h P o m p e i i a n style, R a p h a e l i a n grotesque, a n t i q u e m y t h , t h e R o m a n t i c perspective o f nature, a n d allegorical devices, a n d t h e coher
ence, too, o f the parts o f t h e story is e n f o r c e d t h r o u g h art alone. T h e i m a g e o f t h e m o d e r n n o longer stands by itself. It derives its m e a n i n g f r o m the context, be it t h r o u g h a series o f pictures, a synthetic picture f o r m , or by a synesthesia o f t h e arts. S c h w i n d w a s certainly a believer i n t h e Gesamtkunstwerk.2S The Symphony w a s to b e c o m e the wall decoration o f a m u s i c r o o m , a n d the late M e l u s i n e cycle w a s to b e c o m e t h e interior frieze i n a r o u n d t e m p l e for the m a k i n g o f m u s i c .2 6 The Symphony h a d a syn
thetic pictorial f o r m . S c h w i n d tried to a c c o m p l i s h t h e synthesis i n t w o ways: t h r o u g h its m u s i c a l t h e m e a n d t h r o u g h u s e o f t h e arabesque. T h e
c h o r a l text to B e e t h o v e n ' s O p u s n o . 8 0 m a k e s perfectly clear t h e t h e m e idea a n d p u r p o s e o f t h e m u s i c . It is a h y m n s u n g t o the glory o f art, d e s c r i b i n g it i n m e t a p h o r s o f nature. It speaks o f ' t h e s p r i n g s u n o f the arts' w h i c h b r i n g s i n light. Eternal b l o s s o m i n g flowers flow o u t f r o m a s e n s e o f beauty. O n l y art is capable o f restoring t h e lost c o n n e c t i o n to nature.2 7 T h u s O p u s n o . 8 0 p r o v i d e d S c h w i n d w i t h t h e m o t i f w h i c h p r o m p t e d h i m to d e s i g n h i s story. B e e t h o v e n ' s p i e c e is n o t a m u s i c a l a c c o m p a n i m e n t to the p r o g r a m m e : n o r S c h w i n d ' s picture a m e r e illustration. T h e classical s y m p h o n i c structure p r o v i d e s n o m o r e t h a n t h e f r a m e w o r k for t h e i n d i v i d u a l chapters o f S c h w i n d ' s pictorial novella.
O p u s n o . 8 0 is t h e necessary p r e l u d e f o r setting t h e m o o d to t h e story, the s u c c e s s i o n o f m o v e m e n t s p r o v i d e s the m o m e n t s o f t h e n a r r a t i o n , b u t the artistic f o r m o f the a r a b e s q u e f u r n i s h e s t h e actual h a r m o n i c coherency.
W i t h its n o n - d i v i d e d structure, O p u s n o . 8 0 is e q u i v a l e n t to t h e a r a b e s q u e - it stands as n a t u r e t h r o u g h art. T h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f c h a m b e r m u s i c w i t h t h e large orchestra is to b e s e e n as f o r m i n g a n a n a l o g y to S c h w i n d ' s private a n d p u b l i c d i m e n s i o n i n The, Symphony. I n b o t h cases it is a contraditory m o d e r n s o l u t i o n .
I n the case o f S c h w i n d t h e r e is n o q u e s t i o n a b o u t t h e t w o sources for the structural p r i n c i p l e o f t h e w o r k - R u n g e ' s Tageszeiten ( T i m e s o f Day) a n d C o r n e l i u s ' s wall d e c o r a t i o n d e s i g n s .2 8 A n early R o m a n t i c didactic f o r m a n d a classical decorative t r a d i t i o n p e r m e a t e each other. B o t h , h o w
ever, are t r a n s f o r m e d b y S c h w i n d ' s w a y o f d e a l i n g w i t h t h e m . T h e early R o m a n t i c arabesque, particularly as s u p p o r t e d b y Friedrich Schlegel's literary r e a s o n i n g , is o n e f o r m , i n d e e d t h e o n l y f o r m able t o e n c o m p a s s i n a p l a y f u l m a n n e r this w o r l d p e r c e i v e d as f r a g m e n t a r y , to t u r n t h e rub
ble o f the present i n t o jewels, i n order - as Schlegel writes - to give a n i n d i c a t i o n o f i n f i n i t e plenty, a n e m e r g e n c e o f i n f i n i t u d e .2 9 T h e a r a b e s q u e is n a t u r e converted to t h e abstract, g e n e r a t i n g o r d e r o u t o f its o w n . Schlegel, Novalis, a n d R u n g e c o m p a r e t h e a r a b e s q u e w i t h m u s i c , m u s i cal variation, a n d m u s i c a l m o v e m e n t f o r m . Schlegel e v e n goes so far as to u s e 'arabesque' a n d ' s y m p h o n y ' s y n o n y m o u s l y .3 0 I n 1828, W i l h e l m v o n H u m b o l d t declared the p r i n c i p l e o f t h e a r a b e s q u e - w i t h o u t n a m i n g a r a b e s q u e explicitly - to be t h e characteristic o f the m o d e r n : ' T h e g r o w t h w h i c h art i n itself o w e s to t h e n e w p e r i o d , against G r e e k a n d R o m a n antiquity, l i e s . . . i n the excellent a n d exclusive d e v e l o p m e n t o f that w h i c h h a s t h e ability to affect the p o w e r o f i m a g i n a t i o n a m o r p h o u s l y m e r e l y by n u a n c i n g a n d gradation, m a i n t a i n e d by the laws o f r h y t h m a n d h a r m o n y , a n d above all to t o u c h directly o u r sensitivity.'3 1
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind 2 6 5
A n o n - f i g u r a t i v e r h y t h m that affects o u r sensibility is characteristic o f t h e arabesque. S c h w i n d e m p l o y s the p r i n c i p l e o f t h e arabesque, but its f u n c t i o n is i n d e e d altered. T h e i n n e r pictures i n R u n g e ' s Tageszeiten s y m b o l i z e the cycle o f life i n a natural, m y s t i c a l way. T h e clearly separ ated f r a m e u s e s the signs o f established religion to indicate the religious o r d a i n m e n t o f m a n . It is left to t h e spectator to bridge the w i d e gap b e t w e e n c o n v e n t i o n a l religion a n d n a t u r a l m y s t i c i s m . T h e path o f the arabesque provides h i m w i t h a v a g u e n o t i o n o f t h e synthesis - f r o m t h e p o i n t o f origin at the l o w e r e n d o f t h e m i d d l e axis past the u n f o l d i n g d e v e l o p m e n t to b o t h sides, also s i g n i f y i n g the split b e t w e e n contrary p r i n c i p l e s , to the r e j o i n i n g a n d dialectic d i s s o l u t i o n at the u p p e r e n d o f t h e axis o f the arabesque figure. I n that S c h w i n d e l i m i n a t e s t h e observ
er's part, the arabesque loses its p o w e r to l e n d c o h e r e n c e a n d returns to b e i n g a m e r e o r n a m e n t a l f o r m . T h e abstract creation o f c o h e r e n c e does n o t c o r r e s p o n d to any s e n s u a l p e r c e p t i o n - t h e c o h e r e n c y is m e r e l y asserted individually. S c h w i n d was, however, f u l l y aware o f this. W a l l decorations by Peter C o r n e l i u s , o n w h i c h t h e y o u n g S c h w i n d w o r k e d , e n c l o s e d large religious or m y t h o l o g i c a l historical t h e m e s . O n e o f C o r n e l i u s ' s p u p i l s , Ernst Foerster, h a s h a n d e d d o w n to u s the fact that C o r n e l i u s n o l o n g e r c o n s i d e r e d history i n itself to be capable o f carrying a w e i g h t y m e a n i n g - t h e arabesque f r a m e h a d the d u t y o f c o m p e n s a t i n g for this loss o f significance.3 2 It c o u l d e v e n be m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e picture itself, because o n l y w i t h i n it c o u l d a n o t i o n o f u n f a l s i f i e d nature be preserved, a r e m e m b r a n c e o f the lost great c h a i n o f b e i n g . S c h w i n d ' s The Symphony is just as m u c h a n e x p r e s s i o n o f this v i e w p o i n t as was the private c o s m o s w h i c h h e - w h i l e c o n s c i o u s o f its futility - offered u p as a d e f e n c e against a p u b l i c life h e d e e m e d chaotic.
N O T E S
1. Letter to Franz v o n Schober, M u n i c h , 5 J u n e 1853 (Otto Stoessl, Moritz von Schwind, Briefe (Leipzig, 1 9 2 4 ) , p. 322). T r a n s l a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h i s chapter are t h o s e o f W e r n e r B u s c h .
2. Letter to E d u a r d v o n B a u e r n f e l d , M u n i c h , 15 A p r i l 1851 (ibid., p. 2 7 9 ) . 3. C o n r a d H o f e r , Der Sangerkrieg auf der Wartburg, Fine Studie zur Geschichte und
Deutung des Schwindschen Bildes, Z e i t s c h r i f t des V e r e i n s f u r T h i i r i n g i s c h e G e s c h i c h t e u n d A l t e r t u m s k u n d e 2 6 (Jena, 1942); H e l g a B a u m l , Die Wartburg- Fresken Moritz von Schwinds (Leipzig, 1963); H e l g a H o f f m a n n , Die Fresken Moritz von Schwinds auf der Wartburg ( V i e n n a , 1976); W e r n e r B u s c h , ' Z w e i S t u d i e n v o n M o r i t z v o n S c h w i n d z u m " Z u g der H e i l i g e n Elisabeth z u r W a r t b u r g ' " , Niederdeutsche Beitrage zur Kunstgeschichte, 16 (1977), p p . 141-54.
4. Letter to Eduardvon Steinle, Munich, 18 June 1848 (Stoessl, Briefe, p. 225).
5. Letter to Marianne Freeh, Munich, 28 August 1848 (ibid., p. 233).
6. Letterto Eduardvon Steinle, Munich, 18 June 1848 (ibid., p. 226).
7. Letter to Julius Thaeter, Munich, June 1848 (ibid., p. 229).
8. Werner Busch, Die notwendige Arabeske. Wirklichkeitsaneignung und Stilisierung inderdeutschen Kunst der tg.Jahrhunderts (Berlin, 1985), pp. 240-8.
9. Rosel Gollek, 'Moritz von Schwind und seine Komposition "Die Symphonie'", in Spitzweg-Schwind-Schleich, Stadtische Galerie im Prinz-Max-Palais cat.
(Karlsruhe, 1984), pp. 44-63; Busch, Arabeske, pp. 95-108; Wilhelm Seidel, 'Die Symphonie von Moritz von Schwind', in Wolfgang Kemp (ed.), Literatur und andere Kiinste, Edition Text und Kritik, vol. iv, Der Text des Bildes.
Moglichkeiten und Mittel eigenstandiger Bilderzdhlung (Munich, 1989), pp.
ro-34.
10. Otto Weigmann, Moritz von Schwind, Klassiker der Kunst 9 (Stuttgart and Leipzig, 1906) pp. 367-75.
11. Letterto Peter von Cornelius, Nieder-Pocking, 20 September 1862 (Stoessl, Briefe, p. 404).
12. Friedrich Theodor Vischer, 'Zustandder jetzigen Malerei (1842)', in Friedrich Theodor Vischer, Kritische Gauge, ed. Robert Vischer (2nd edn, 5 vols., Munich, 1922), vol. v, p. 38.
13.17 July 1843 (E. Castle (ed.), Lenau und die Familie Lowenthal (2 vols., Leipzig, 1906), vol. 1, p. 206).
14. Werner Busch, 'Die fehlende Gegenwart', in Reinhart Koselleck (ed.), Bildungsburgerium im lg.Jahrhundert, Teil II, Bildungsgiiter und Bildungswissen, Industrielle Welt, Schriftenreihe des Arbeitskreises ftir moderne
Sozialgeschichte, eds. Reinhart Koselleck and M. Rainer Lepsius 41 (Stuttgart, 1990), pp. 286-316.
15. For Metternich's policy, its consequences for Munich and German art: Gudrun Jansen, Die Nazarenerbewegung im Kontext der katholischen Restauration, Kunstwissenschaftin der Blauen Eule 8 (Essen, 1992).
t6. Busch, Arabeske, pp. 90-5.
17. Weigmann, Schwind, p. 230.
18. For Schwind on the Frankfurt public and Lessing's Hus, see: Stoessl, Briefe, pp. 205-6, 208 (letters to Ludwig Schaller, Frankfurt, 5 November 1846; to Bonaventura Genelli, Frankfurt, 20 December 1846; and to Ludwig Schaller, Frankfurt, 26 December 1846).
19. Busch, Arabeske, pp. 246-7.
20. Ibid., pp. 278-88; Francoise Forster-Hahn, Adolph Menzel's
"Balkonzimmer": Room Without a View', in Thomas W. Gaehtgens (ed.), KunstlerischerAustausch, Artistic Exchange, Akten des xxvm. Internationaler Kongresses fur Kunstgeschichte, Berlin, 15-20 July 1992 (3 vols., Berlin, 1993), vol. 11, pp. 749-58.
31. Letterto Konrad Jahn, Munich, 11 December 1849 (Stoessl, Briefe, p. 252); cf.
Conservatism and innovation in Moritz von Schwind
p. 236 (letter to Julius Thaeter, Munich, 9 December 1848), and p. 257 (letter to Konrad fahn, Munich, 1 January 1850).
22. Letter to Franz von Schober, Munich, 14 December 1849 (ibid., p. 254).
23. Letter to Ludwig Schaller, Frankfurt, 30 May 1846 (ibid., p. 200); letter to Franz von Schober, Munich, 10 December 1849 (p. 253); letterto Franz von Schober, Munich, 5 March 1850 (p. 263); letterto Franz von Schober, Munich, 26 April 1852 (p. 290).
24. Hans Sedlmayr, Verlust der Mitte. Die bildende Kunst des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts als Symptom und Symbol derZeit (Berlin [1948], 1966).
25. Der Hangzum Gesamtkunstwerk. Europaische Utopien seit 1800, Kunsthaus Zurich cat. (Aarau and Frankfurt-a.-M., 1983); Bernd Euler-Rolle, 'Kritisches zum Begriffdes "Gesamtkunstwerks" in Theorie und Praxis', Kunsthistorisches Jahrbuch Graz, 25 (1993), pp. 365—75.
26. Weigmann, Schwind, pp. 499-510.
27. Seidel, 'Symphonie', p. 27.
28. Jorg Traeger, Philipp Otto Runge und sein Werk. Monographie und kritischer Katalog (Munich, 1975), pp. 46-52,109-21,156-68; Runge in seiner Zeit, Kunsthalle Hamburg cat. (Munich, 1977), pp. 188-92; Busch, Arabeske, pp.
49-55; Frank Buttner, Peter Cornelius - Fresken und Freskenprojekte (Wiesbaden, 1980).
29. Karl Konrad Polheim, Die Arabeske. Ansichten und Ideen aus Friedrich Schlegels Poetik (Munich, Paderborn, and Vienna, 1966); Friedrich Schlegel, Literary Notebooks 1797-1801, ed. Hans Eichner (London, 1957), no. 407.
30. Schlegel, Literary Notebooks, nos, 479, 873,1143,1359,1363,1403,1643;
Novalis, Schriften, ed. Paul Kluckhohn and Richard Samuel (2nd edn, 4 vols., Stuttgart, i960), vol. Ill, p. 559, no. 28; Philipp Otto Runge, Hinterlassene Schriften, ErsterTheil (Hamburg, 1840), p. 43; Polheim, Die Arabeske, p. 389.
31. Quoted in Alfred Kamphausen, Asmus Jakob Carstens, Studien zur Schleswig- Holsteinischen Kunstgeschichte 5 (Neumiinster-in-Holstein, 1941), p. 271.
32. Ernst Foerster, Peter von Cornelius. Fin Gedenkbuch aus seinem Lehen und Wirken (2 vols., Berlin, 1874), vol. [, p. 453.
