DVSSELDORF, the chief t. of the district of Dusseldorf, in Rhenish Prussia, and the capital of the former duchy of Berg, is situated in the center of a fertile district, on the right bank of the Rhine, at the confluence of the Dfissel with that river, in lat. 51° 13' n., long. 6° 45' east. It was formerly fortified, but its ramparts were converted into and promenades at the treaty of Luneville, 1802. It is seated in the midst of extensive garden-grounds, and is well built. The streets, the houses of which are built of brick, are regular and spacious; while the rows of trees with which many of them are planted, greatly enhance their appearance. D. is divided into the Altstadt, on the right bank of the Dassel; the Karlstadt, founded in 1786 by the elector Karl Theodore, on the left bank; the Neustadt, on the Rhine; and the recently built to the south. A colossal equestrian statue of the elector Johann Wilhelm, who founded a famous picture-gallery here in 1710—the pictures of which, however, were removed to Munich in 1805—stands in one of the five squares of Diisseldorf. The Dusseldorf academy was founded in 1767, reorganized in 1822, and attained great eminence during the years 1822-26, under the management of Cornelius and Schadow. The art-union for the Rhine provinces and Westphalia was founded here in 1828. The principal buildings of D. are the old electoral palace; the present palace, the residence of the governor of the province; the government house, the observatory, town-hall (built in 1567), theater, gymnasium, and public library. Of the ecclesiastical edifices, the most remarkable are the churches of St. Andrew and St. Lambert, and the church of the Jesuits, a handsome and highly ornate structure, having two steeples. The Hofgarten, one of the finest public gardens in Germany, is a very agreeable prome nade. D. has manufactures of woolens, cottons, leather, hats, tobacco, jewelry, mirrors, railway carriages, etc., and its trade and industries generally are steadily
progressing. A great part of its importance may be said to be derived from its position on the Rhine, as on this account great quantities of goods are sent to D. from the surrounding districts for exportation. Pop. '75, 80,695, most of whom are Catholics. Along with the duchy of Berg, D. came into the possession of Prussia in 1815. It was made a free port in 1820, and since that time it has prospered. It has daily communication with Mayence and Rotterdam by the Rhine steamers. Industry and commerce have likewise received a new impulse since D. became the central point of several lines of railway.
DtiSSELDORF SCHOOL OF PAINTING. This institution, founded in Dussel dorf by prince Charles Theodore in 1767, did not become famous until, in 1822, it was reorganized by king Frederick William, and put in charge of Cornelius, under whose direction it took at once a high rank. Cornelius was succeeded in 1820 by Schadow, and in 1859 by Bendeman. From 1864, the institution was managed by curators, till in 1873, Wiscelinus of Weimar was chosen director. The school has exerted a wide influ ence upon art, in America as well as in Europe. Several of the most famous American artists have studied there, and among those who have done much to introduce and popularize its methods and style in this country may be mentioned Eastman Johnson, George H. Hall, Leutze, and Bierstadt. The academy possesses 14,000 original draw ings and sketches by the great masters, and 24,000 engravings. The German artists whose names have become most familiar in connection with the school are Cornelius, Lessing, Achenbach, Baur, Tidemann, and Knaus.
See Slturr. '