Karl Friedrich Schinkel, A King's Mentor

As my readers know, I love Neoclassic architecture, and I've posted on two of my favorite practitioners, Thomas Jefferson and Sir John Soane. But no study of Neoclassicism is complete without a good look at Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841). In my opinion, he is the greatest of Neoclassic architects.

Schinkel quickly came to the attention of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, who was himself an amateur architect. The king, who ruled from 1797 to 1840, had big plans to rebuild Berlin and came up with many designs himself. He looked upon Schinkel as both a collaborator and a design mentor, and the two became close friends.

From 1815 until his death in 1841, Karl Friedrich Schinkel transformed Berlin to such a degree that the period is sometimes referred to by his name — Schinkelzeit.

While Schinkel was rendering his architectural services to the state, he was also designing seemingly every aspect of the daily life of Friedrich Wilhelm III and Queen Louise.

Rather than show you images of Schinkel's many architectural monuments, I thought it would be more exciting to show you the scope of his designing. And mind you, this is just a tiny sampling!

Architectural drawings — this is Schinkel's view of the Staircase Hall in the Altes Museum

Paintings — Schinkel's work was reminiscent of Caspar David Friedrich's paintings

Fabric design

Stage set design — this is a set for The Magic Flute

Pen and ink drawings — Schinkel was a great observer of nature

Schinkel designed the Iron Cross in 1813

* A bronze and gilt balustrade *

* The king's toilet set — note the neat insets *

* Entrance to the court gardener's home *

* Vase design *

Furniture — for this chair design, Schinkel was influenced by the Regency style

* Furniture — a buffet table *

* Interior design — a detail from the king's study *

* Interior design — this was a royal guest room, which Schinkel himself would use *

It seems as though there was nothing that Karl Friedrich Schinkel couldn't and didn't design, and it was all beautiful. He had an amazing drive and produced large- and small-scale designs at a rapid pace. He finally had a stroke, and spent the better part of his last two years in bed.

When Schinkel died in 1841, he was remembered not only for his brilliance, but also as one who was engaging, considerate and humble. Thousands attended his funeral, and the king (by then Wilhelm I) decreed that the state buy Schinkel's entire estate.

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The image of the Iron Cross comes from
Orders and Decorations  |  Vaclav Mericka  |  Paul Hamlyn Ltd., London
Photograph by Josef Fiala

All other photographs come from these two superb books. The first is Karl Friedrich Schinkel, A Universal Man, by Michael Snodin, Yale University Press in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London...

...and the second is Karl Friedrich Schinkel, An Architecture for Prussia, Barry Bergdoll, photographs by Erich Lessing, Rizzoli, New York.

Those images with asterisked captions are from the second book. All the other images are from the first book.

Both books have beautiful photography, and because Schinkel's design work was so extensive, these books do not duplicate each other, but are instead perfect companion pieces.

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