Who is Theobald von Oer?

Theobald Reinhold Freiherr von Oer (9 October 1807 – 1885 in Coswig) was a German painter, illustrator and etcher. He is notable for his portraits, genre paintings and historic paintings. He is joined with the Düsseldorf educational of painting.

Theobald von Oer, born at Haus Nottbeck, Stromberg, was the son of a Westphalian district administrator. His younger brother Maximilian Joseph Franz of Oer (1806–1846) was a writer. Even in his childhood von Oer liked to paint and to draw, and was talented. At the age of 12, he fell sick with scarlet fever and at a loose end his hearing as with ease as parts of his speech.

At 19, von Oer started like studies at the Royal Academy of Arts Dresden (today the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts). He proved himself exceptionally bright and speedily changed to supplementary studies to the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, under the teaching of W. von Schadow. In 1836, he and architect H. Matthäi travelled together through the Netherlands and Belgium, eventually arriving at Paris, visiting various French artists. In 1837 he travelled through Southern France into the Italian cities Rome, Capri, and Ischia. His main beat was the art of painting historical scenes, however, he painted various landscapes and portraits. His journey to Italy as a consequence had much influence upon his style, notably on his landscapes and portraits. After returning to Germany, he returned to Dresden, becoming a professor at academe of the arts. The Princess Gallitzin in the sky of her friends from the year 1864, is one of his best known commissioned works. He died in 1885, in Coswig.

1. Literature: D. Westhoff, Die Italienreise von Theobald Reinhold von Oer: 1837–1839. 2 vol. Frankfurt on Main, Univ. Master’s thesis, 1995.