Ludwig Emil Grimm

Ludwig Emil Grimm was the youngest brother of the famous philologists and writers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Ludwig began his career as an artist at the Kassel Academy, where he studied from 1804 to 1808. In this period he made the acquaintance of such intellectual luminaries as Clemens and Bettine Brentano, Friedrich Karl von Savigny and Achim von Arnim. In 1809 he went to study at the Munich Academy thanks to the financial support of his brothers. He was introduced to the various printing techniques by Carl Ernst Christoph Hess and studied painting under Andreas Seidl. In 1832 Grimm married his first wife Marie Böttner and became a professor at the Kassel Academy. The following year his daughter Frederike (Ideke) was born. Our etching shows Ideke, at far right, with the children of his sister Charlotte. As the youngest child as well as the only daughter and sister in the Grimm family, Charlotte was doted on by her father and brothers. After the death of their mother in 1808 she looked after the household and family. In 1822 she married the statesman Ludwig Hassenpflug and left the Grimm household, while still remaining very close to her brothers. She bore six children, of which four – Carl, Friedrich, Ludwig and Dorothea, all shown in the etching – lived to a ripe old age. Charlotte did not survive the birth of her youngest daughter, Dorothea, and died soon afterwards in 1833. The etching was probably executed about 1837/38. Ideke’s portrait is derived from a drawing by Grimm dated 23 May 1837, which is now to be found in the Historical Museum in Hanau (see: E. Koolman, Stationen: aus Ludwig Emil Grimms Lebenserinnerungen und Briefen, Hanau, 1992, p. 77).

A superb, rich impression printed with delicate plate tone and wide margins. The names of the sitters are written in pencil under the portrayal. Minor foxing in the lower margin, slight handling traces, otherwise in very good condition.