Johann Michael Wittmer the Younger

(1802 Murnau - 1880 Munich)

During his studies at the Munich Academy, which he had begun in 1820, Wittmer enjoyed the special patronage of Peter von Cornelius, whom he assisted inter alia with the execution of the frescoes in the Glyptothek. In the spring of 1828 the young artist received a stipend from King Ludwig I to go to Rome, where his first works attracted attention and earned him a friendly reception from Thorvaldsen, Overbeck, Veit and the mentor of the German artistic community in Rome, Joseph Anton Koch. With the latter Wittmer developed a close friendship, which was crowned in autumn 1833 by his marriage to Koch’s daughter Elena. It is therefore likely that Wittmer was introduced to the art of etch­ing by his father-in-law.